Dragoș Saioc is the General Manager of the engagement and teambuilding agency Ecoxtrem. In 2006, while he was Marketing Specialist & Deputy Manager at Porsche Finance Group Romania, he followed his passion for nature and his interest in ecology, laying the foundation of the Ecoxtrem mountain club.
What started as an outdoor initiative, inspired by the desire to bring people closer to nature, quickly attracted interest and turned into a teambuilding agency, with a name inspired by the extreme spirit of its beginnings.
Although the name and spirit have remained unchanged, Ecoxtrem today offers much more complex services, tailored to the current development needs of teams: one of the largest portfolios of teambuilding concepts developed in-house worldwide, complemented by expertise in corporate events, training, assessment, and internal communication solutions.

C&B: How would you describe yourself in one sentence, to spark the curiosity of those who don’t know you yet?
Dragoș Saioc: It’s hard for me to describe myself, but my colleagues would characterize me by courage and adaptability. In the 18 years of the agency, many things have changed – from the evolution of the market to challenges like the pandemic – and what has always kept us moving forward was the ability to reinvent ourselves and keep going.

C&B: If we were to look at a narrative thread of your career or business, what were the key moments that defined you?
Dragoș Saioc: The first pivotal moment was my departure from Porsche and the desire to try, together with a group of friends without entrepreneurial experience, to build a teambuilding agency. Here we are, 18 years later, still here.
Another defining moment was the pandemic, when, like all event agencies, we suddenly found ourselves without activity. We quickly adapted and were among the first to bring and develop a portfolio of online experiences.
In addition, we realized that people managers need more, and the needs of teams are becoming increasingly complex. That’s why we made the natural step from a simple teambuilding agency to an engagement agency.

C&B: What were the first challenges when you introduced the concept to the market?
Dragoș Saioc: In 2006, when we started on this path, Romania didn’t really have a culture of teambuilding or human-level team development, so the demand was modest. It took a lot of education on our part, as well as patience, to show companies the benefits of these experiences. Today, however, the need for connection is evident and widely embraced.

C&B: Is there a dream or ambition that has always guided you, regardless of obstacles?
Dragoș Saioc: I wouldn’t say it was a particular dream, but rather a mindset: that of succeeding, of continuously developing, and of contributing to the well-being of the workplace environment. We have always been guided by the desire to adapt and to communicate effectively with new generations so that what we do remains relevant and truly impactful.

C&B: What were you like at the beginning of the road, and how do you feel you have transformed over time?
Dragoș Saioc: At the beginning, we were bold and creative – and we still are today. The difference is that, along the way, we developed as a multidisciplinary team, and the volume of projects forced us to become much more procedural. Even though it may not seem so at first glance, today we function like an agile corporation with an adventurous spirit.

C&B: If we were to meet your team or collaborators, what do you think they would say about you?
Dragoș Saioc: I think the team and collaborators would describe me as having the courage to try, regardless of challenges. For me, adversity is not an obstacle but a driver that motivates me, and the idea of standing still doesn’t suit me at all.

C&B: What is the most important decision you have made that changed your trajectory?
Dragoș Saioc: The most important decision I made was a few years before the pandemic, when I realized we had to diversify our services. We broadened our horizons into training and assessment, and from there things took an upward trajectory. We expanded our portfolio and internal capabilities, developing in-house products that strengthened our position and impact in the market. That was the moment when we shifted our mindset from an entrepreneurial approach to a corporate, procedural one.

C&B: How did you see changes in the teams you worked with after the Ecoxtrem experiences?
Dragoș Saioc: We can only quantify changes in teams that work consistently and sustainably in this direction.
When team experiences are treated as one-time activations, it’s much harder to measure the real impact.
However, we do have teams that have been working with us for over 7 years, and with them it’s clear how a unified personality and a healthy organizational culture based on connection and shared values have formed. Moreover, by supporting them in marking other important moments – March 1st and 8th, Children’s Day, sustainability events – we see how these initiatives become internal traditions. In such cases, teams begin to behave like true families, and employee retention is noticeably higher.
Another relevant aspect is the growing appetite of companies for assessment and objective evaluation of progress. At the same time, we observe the adoption of a Never Ending Teambuilding attitude – as a continuous style of development, whether through teambuilding programs, trainings, events, or internal activations.

C&B: What makes Ecoxtrem different from other teambuilding companies?
Dragoș Saioc: We may believe many things about who we are, but the most important thing is what clients and the market say about us. From the feedback we’ve received, we learned that we are perceived as extremely adaptable and highly customizable, because we develop everything in-house. In addition, what truly sets us apart is our implementation team, connected to the communication styles and needs of all generations in the labor market – something that makes our experiences relevant and memorable.
Another essential attribute is constant innovation, combined with a deep understanding of clients’ needs and objectives. This way, we can deliver personalized solutions with a high level of customization.

C&B: What does a typical day look like for you now, and what moments of the day bring you the greatest satisfaction?
Dragoș Saioc: Besides my role as a manager, I am actively part of the consulting team, which means I spend a good part of my day talking to clients, understanding their needs and challenges, and building solutions together. If you were to visit our office, you’d most likely find me on an exploratory call with a people manager concerned about their team and eager to create a better environment. These moments, when I feel we can add real value, are the ones that bring me the greatest satisfaction.

C&B: What values or principles guide you in what you do, and how do you apply them daily?
Dragoș Saioc: Adaptability, courage, and the conviction that a solution can never be one size fits all.

C&B: How did the idea of launching Ecoxtrem Teambuilding come about, and what inspired you to take this path?
Dragoș Saioc: Ecoxtrem started as a mountain club, built on values that naturally belong to a team – trust, mutual support, overcoming limits together. At some point, we realized there was demand, there was a need, and there was space for such experiences in the corporate world. That’s how we started and turned our passion into what is today the Ecoxtrem Teambuilding agency.

C&B: What has been the most memorable teambuilding experience organized so far?
Dragoș Saioc: There are many memorable experiences, and each of us has our own favorite. For me, I think the defining moment was the first event organized for 1,000 participants. That’s when I realized that we could handle any challenge and that we had all the resources needed to deliver at the highest level.

C&B: Where do you see Ecoxtrem Teambuilding in 5 years?
Dragoș Saioc: We couldn’t say exactly what the plans are, because they’re part of our competitive advantage. What we can say, however, is that we will remain attentive to the market, ready to adapt and grow alongside the needs of teams. In 5 years, Ecoxtrem will deliver solutions to problems that clients today are only just beginning to define.

Ecoxtrem has proven that business success is not only measured in numbers but also in the ability to build strong, motivated teams ready to overcome any challenge.

The post From Outdoor Passion to Corporate Impact: The Ecoxtrem Journey with Dragoș Saioc appeared first on careers-business.com.

Remus Lăzăreanu is the co-founder of Supraviețuire Inteligentă (Intelligent Survival), a project dedicated to developing practical skills in orientation, adaptability, and resilience in critical situations. With vast experience in survival and tactical training, he combines solid theoretical knowledge with applied exercises, offering both courses and resources designed to prepare people for real-life challenges.

C&B: How would you describe yourself in a single sentence, in order to spark curiosity among those who don’t know you yet?
Remus Lăzăreanu: To be accurate and precise, our Intelligent Survival team consists of Cristi Bozgan and myself, Remus Lăzăreanu, former Special Forces officers turned entrepreneurs and survival trainers, who combine military experience with a passion for education and personal development—through children’s camps, for over 8 years, and corporate teambuilding programs, for more than 12 years.

C&B: If we were to follow the storyline of your career or business, what were the key moments that defined you?
Remus Lăzăreanu: There were three key moments: the “light bulb moment”—the idea that the experience gained in the Special Forces could be turned into an educational project; the research and continuous specialization phase, through courses and partnerships; and finally, the development of a solid business that, for over a decade, has been shaping people to become stronger and more confident in their own abilities.

C&B: What were the first challenges in convincing people of the importance of preparing for unforeseen situations?
Remus Lăzăreanu: In the beginning, the challenge was to show people that preparing for extreme situations is not a luxury, but a necessity. People need leaders with real experience, who can practically demonstrate what planning, organization, and resilience mean. Only those who have gone through extreme situations can credibly pass on these lessons. And our team can!

C&B: Is there a dream or ambition that has always guided you, regardless of obstacles?
Remus Lăzăreanu: Yes. For us, every project started as a dream and turned into a challenge that we carried through with ambition, perseverance, and a lot of preparation. The ambition to succeed and to prove that any obstacle can be overcome has guided us constantly.

C&B: What were you like at the beginning of your journey, and how do you feel you’ve transformed since then?
Remus Lăzăreanu: At first, it was difficult: we had lots of ideas but lacked practical business experience. We invested time in study, courses, collaborations, and research. The first year was a string of trials, but with every step we gained experience, built partnerships, and grew steadily. Today, we have a solid portfolio behind us and a professional team.

C&B: If we were to meet your team or collaborators, what do you think they would say about you?
Remus Lăzăreanu: They would describe us as ambitious, fair, and people-oriented. We are two leaders who complement each other, who know when to assert themselves, but also how to listen, to provide support, and to demand results. I strongly believe that success is built together. Very important!

C&B: What is the most important decision you’ve made that changed your trajectory?
Remus Lăzăreanu: The radical decision was to leave behind a promising military career in the Special Forces and enter the business world. We started with sales, moved through management and consultancy positions, and in parallel, we built educational projects and teambuilding programs. We chose a difficult path, but one that brought us fulfillment.

C&B: How do you manage to combine the practical side—survival techniques—with the educational and community aspect?
Remus Lăzăreanu: “Survival is an art”: it’s not just about physical techniques, but also about mental, emotional, and team development. Each exercise—whether for children or adults—is a life lesson about trust, communication, resilience, and solidarity. Our team, made up of former Special Forces members, brings both technical expertise and a pedagogical style that makes learning engaging and relevant.
Connection with nature—and learning from it—allows us to transfer these activities into daily life, into professional and educational life. Our professional trainers have a strong pedagogical and psychological approach. All activities are coordinated by former Special Forces members who went through grueling selection and training processes.
Our team’s experience has been proven over 12 years through corporate teambuildings for renowned companies in telecommunications, beverages & food, insurance, banking, IT industries, etc., and more than 8 years of children’s camps. All with the same goal: learning and perfecting basic techniques for survival in both urban and wilderness environments.

C&B: What do you think differentiates your business or professional approach from the rest of the industry?
Remus Lăzăreanu: “Children and adults are challenged with experiences you only see on TV!” The difference lies in our authentic experience combined with methodology: theory immediately applied in practice. Participants live experiences “like in Discovery documentaries,” but in a safe, controlled, and well-organized environment. In fact, our participants carry out the same activities as those shown on TV survival shows. That’s why their final reaction is always the same: “Wow! I did it!”

C&B: What does a typical day look like for you now, and what moments of the day bring you the greatest satisfaction?
Remus Lăzăreanu: The day starts with rigorous planning: logistics, location scouting, designing scenarios, and preparing surprises for participants. Nothing repeats itself, every program is unique. We design teambuilding activities together with clients, in a modular way. We choose equipment, create activities, and much more. But we also prepare surprises, to excite and amaze people.

C&B: What values or principles guide you in what you do, and how do you apply them daily?
Remus Lăzăreanu: To prove that what we teach, we can also do; that we can be good trainers; that people take away valuable knowledge and practice their skills under our guidance. Professionalism, perseverance, and respect for people. I believe that high-quality information and skills we share must stay with participants for a lifetime—even if one day they might forget us as trainers. We have to be “pro”!

C&B: How did the Intelligent Survival project come about, and what inspired you to turn it into an educational business?
Remus Lăzăreanu: The project started from an idea discussed with my colleague and partner, Cristi Bozgan, with whom I served in the Special Forces. The training we both went through at home and abroad, in the USA and Israel—with various special units like SEALs, Rangers, SWAT—shouldn’t go to waste without finding a “civilian” application. It could be turned into an educational program. This is how “Intelligent Survival” was born—specialized programs for Strong People.
Then came the whirlwind of promotion: teasers about survival, filming in the forest, attending workshops, pitching, promoting on social media, and so on. And now, as I’ve mentioned, we’ve reached 12 years of corporate teambuildings and 8 years of children’s camps: Wilderness Survival and Urban Survival.

C&B: Can you share an experience or feedback from participants that confirmed the project’s value for you?
Remus Lăzăreanu: One interesting experience was with an IT team whose leader was very smart and nonconformist, and who proposed a teambuilding activity with us. They enjoyed the theoretical part, but it was harder to challenge them to go into the forest to apply what they learned. We completed the activity, and they were enthusiastic: “Wow, that was awesome, we want more, we’ll come back next year, you guys are amazing!” We thanked them, congratulated them for their achievements, and smiled knowing we had prepared another surprise: that night, we took them back into the forest, for just one hour. They didn’t want to go at all—until their leader scolded them and told them it was mandatory.
Then came the trek into the forest, in the dark, each with a headlamp, in a wild area with bears. We entered with firecrackers, horns, and a lot of noise, plus strobe lights to scare away animals. We carried out two more activities there, using only the light of their lamps. At the end, we congratulated them, but then came the big second surprise: returning to the hotel with their headlamps turned off. Pitch black. No exceptions. This was the real challenge: fear of the dark, fear of wild animals, orientation in the forest, and applying the theory learned earlier in the day. They were literally shaking with fear. The girls clung to the two trainers—what would happen next? Luckily, Cristi had built a glowing stick trail marking the path back to the hotel while they were busy with their tasks.
The “wows” multiplied, they overwhelmed us with hugs and thanks, and the evening ended with a campfire and a glass of wine.
The next morning brought another round of thanks and promises that they would return the following year—and they kept their word. We gave them new surprises, too.

C&B: What are the development plans for Intelligent Survival in the coming years?
Remus Lăzăreanu: We will focus on corporate teambuilding—both urban survival and wilderness survival—including live-fire shooting sessions at the range. In addition, we are working on partnerships with tour operators from Romania and Norway to put Romania on the adventure tourism map: cultural visits, wine tastings, and survival programs, all in one complete package.

Remus Lăzăreanu and the Intelligent Survival team show that preparing for unforeseen situations is not only a practical skill but also a form of personal and professional development.

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