A week on Necker Island
Building Beyond Business: Our Founder’s Trip to Necker Island with STRIVE
This October, our Founder Sam Cooper was invited to join STRIVE a movement founded by Sam and Noah for an unforgettable week on Sir Richard Branson’s private Necker Island in the British Virgin Islands.
The event brought together an extraordinary mix of entrepreneurs, creators, and changemakers, all united by a shared goal: to push limits, connect deeply, and build meaningful impact through physical challenge and purpose.
A Week of Challenge and Connection
Over seven days, Sam joined the STRIVE community in a series of world class experiences across land, sea, and mind, including:
Mountain Ride around Virgin Gorda
A 5k mega open water swim between Necker and surrounding islands (and sharks!!)
Hobie cat sailing race around the
Trail hikes
Team challenges and workshops focused on purpose, reflection and positive impact
And of course, a celebration day to mark the end of an incredible journey
Each day began with movement and ended with reflection.
Lessons from the Island
The week reinforced many of the same principles that Roka is built on:
Teamwork – progress happens faster when you move together.
Resilience – the best growth comes from challenge, not comfort.
Purpose – strong foundations aren’t just for buildings, they’re for people and culture too.
As Sam reflected,
“Being surrounded by individuals who operate at the top of their game whether in business, endurance sport, or creative impact, was a reminder that the same principles drive success everywhere: discipline, energy, and thinking big.”
Why It Matters to Roka
Roka has always been about building environments where people thrive. The STRIVE experience echoes that philosophy: bringing people together, fostering ambition, and inspiring progress through shared challenge.
Next Steps
Inspired by the experience, Sam and the Roka team are exploring new ways to weave purpose and performance into everything we do from our sites and offices to the communities we work in.
The goal is the same: build something that lasts.