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Inspiration to realization: Pinterest’s 7th Knit Con

a table with a plant and a sign

“I’m a firm believer that when people feel fulfilled at work and in their life, that’s when the magic happens. At Pinterest, we’re building a different kind of tech company, and I’m excited to participate in my first Knit Con since joining the company.”

– Christine Deputy, Chief People Officer

What do Alpacas, the science of Sous Vide, and acclaimed TED speaker Neil Pasricha have in common? They were all part of the jam-packed agenda for Pinterest’s 7th Knit Con this year. On June 9th and 10th, Pinterest employees gathered at our hubs around the world for two full days of inspiration immersion.

Knit Con is Pinterest in real life. It’s what happens when nearly 4000 employees who code, design, market, write, sell, and build the world’s first visual discovery engine take intentional time to close their laptops, silence their phones, and get inspired. In our first hybrid Knit Con since the pandemic (2021 was fully virtual), employees were able to meet colleagues– some for the very first time– in person, and get their creative juices flowing with renowned speakers, and hands-on classes like Afro-Caribbean dance, Chinese calligraphy, watercolor painting, teaching your dog to talk, beginner backpacking, and (so much) more.

“In [the] help section on Pinterest, it says that ‘Pinterest is a visual discovery engine for finding ideas like recipes, home and style inspiration, and more.’ Knit Con took that visual discovery engine and turned it into something that we could literally use any or all of our senses: see, hear, smell, touch, and taste. It then added in collaboration and fellowship that made it even more special.”

- Chrystal Moore, Head of Talent Discovery

Knit Con helps us realize our mission, to bring everyone the inspiration to create a life they love. We know that we can’t inspire the world without an inspired team, and that’s the focus of Knit Con. To bring employees together so they can nurture existing passions, explore new ones, and strengthen connections. Of the 250+ classes around the world, 120+ of them were taught by Pinployees. Now that’s a talented team.

“Even after almost 7 years of being at Pinterest, I’m still so surprised and delighted by all the incredible, unique, handy, and sometimes wacky skills our colleagues possess! It reminds me that no matter what you love or what you’re interested in, you can always find that piece of content or someone that resonates with you and that interest. It feels inclusive and full of possibilities.”

– Aimee Rancer, Creative Strategist

The only way we can successfully support our Pinners in all corners of the world is to have worldly perspectives at the table—both at the technological level and the human level. That mindset is reflected in Knit Con and how it’s been supported by employees and leadership from the very beginning.

  • In Dublin, more than 420 employees from Pinterest’s European and Latin American offices were in attendance
  • In San Francisco, more than 1700 employees from Pinterest’s Mexico City and Sao Paulo offices came together, plus many from our San Francisco HQ and surrounding regions like Portland, Seattle, and Los Angeles
  • In Chicago, more than 600 employees from Pinterest’s offices in New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Detroit, and Toronto attended
  • Virtual: More than 400 employees joined Knit Con virtually from their home offices, cafes, or shared work spaces

Gathering in-person and virtually for this year’s event was so special, and we’re confident Pinployees left feeling inspired and ready to continue executing on our mission. Until next year, Knit Con!

For a peek behind the scenes of this year’s Knit Con, check out our ChicagoDublin, and San Francisco highlights. Will you be at Knit Con 2023? Explore our careers site and apply to open roles.

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