Vardan Torosyan, an engineering manager at Grafana Labs, reflects on his experience building a remote-first team during the pandemic, highlighting both challenges and successes in adapting to a rapidly growing company. After joining Grafana Labs in December 2020, he navigated the complexities of onboarding during a global health crisis while integrating into a team that doubled in size to over 300 employees. Torosyan describes the strategic formation of the Grafana Enterprise Operations team, which involved seeding it with existing team members and focusing on delivering high-value capabilities to enterprise customers. The onboarding process was meticulously designed to ensure new hires felt welcomed and equipped to contribute, with personalized plans and support from mentors. A virtual retreat provided an opportunity to reflect on team dynamics and reinforce a cohesive remote-first culture. Looking ahead, the team aims to deepen customer and community engagement while continuing to expand, with a focus on delivering impactful solutions.