HomeKnow-HowHow to get culture right: An exercise in intentionality

How to get culture right: An exercise in intentionality

In the fast-paced world of tech startups, maintaining company culture as you scale is a delicate task. As a tech founder who has weathered the storms of growth, I’ve come to understand that nurturing and preserving the ethos of our organization is as crucial as the product, or any line of code we write. From the early days of conceptualizing the offering to the bustling office floors housing hundreds, the journey of culture evolution is both challenging and rewarding.

At the heart of this journey lies the understanding that culture isn’t something that can be applied like a sticker; it’s an environment meticulously crafted from the inside out, nurtured, and protected. Culture takes intentionality. As we expand from a handful of passionate individuals to a thriving team of innovators, it’s vital to recognize that maintaining culture evolves alongside growth. Here are a few of the takeaways I’ve learned and I believe can be helpful for any tech founder:

Culture is intentional and expressed as such

First and foremost, culture needs to be deliberately defined and communicated. From the inception of Bounce during my time in NYC, our core values weren’t just words on a wall; they were the guiding principles shaping every decision and interaction. As your company grows, this foundation serves as a compass, ensuring that every new member understands and contributes to our shared vision. We deliberately celebrate team members when they embody Bounce’s core values, and we have found that this reinforces and consolidates culture.

Additionally, at a big crossroad, when you have to make a strategic decision, culture and values serve as a reliable guiding principle. Deciding to build our physical office in Lisbon is a great example of how we’ve strived to foster an environment where every member of the team is able to make and own decisions because culture is so aligned. Every team member understands what the highest impact path to the company looks like. We can also hold ourselves and each other accountable as a result which helps us embrace and grow from our mistakes and stay agile and nimble.

Hiring right is essential to culture

Another key component of culture is hiring. In a competitive tech landscape, the temptation to prioritize skills over culture fit looms large. However, we’ve learned the hard way that a misalignment in values can disrupt the cohesive fabric of the team. By prioritizing candidates who not only possess the necessary skills but also resonate with our culture, we’ve fostered a team that thrives on shared passion and mutual respect. It’s always better to hold off recruiting someone, rather than filling a role in a rush, or out of desperation. The goal is to hire the right person, not the person for right now.

An empowered team makes for a capable team

Empowering and engaging our team is another cornerstone of our culture preservation strategy. In a rapidly changing environment, fostering a sense of ownership and autonomy among employees is crucial. By encouraging creativity, innovation, and open dialogue, we’ve cultivated an environment where every voice is heard, every idea matters, and everyone has a sense of ownership and impact in the company. When everyone on the team feels like they can offer insights, ask questions or challenge decisions and ideas, this fosters an environment where we can all learn from each other and build the best product together.

Transparency yields trust and ultimately affects retention

Adding to this, I would say that transparency is another vital component of culture. Keeping the team well-informed and privy to information about the company, such as financial runway and the challenges that we face, effectively gathers everyone around a common goal. This open and honest approach builds trust and fosters a sense of unity among team members. Open communication is a very powerful motivator, as it encourages the team to work together to find solutions.

But culture isn’t static; it’s a living, breathing entity that must adapt and evolve with the times. As we’ve scaled, we’ve recognized the need to revisit and refine our cultural norms to reflect the changing dynamics of our team and industry. This is a continuous challenge, as we’ve scaled from 5 to 50, and as we now move into the next phase of growth, from 50 to 500. Flexibility and openness to change have been instrumental in ensuring that our culture remains relevant and inclusive.

Maintaining alignment and integrating our culture across departments and time zones has been a significant challenge. With growth comes the risk of silos forming, threatening the cohesion we’ve worked so hard to build. By fostering cross-functional collaboration and encouraging a sense of belonging among remote team members, we’ve bridged the gap and strengthened our cultural fabric.

Last but not least, I’m a firm believer in conveying the importance of culture in every single team member. Every employee is responsible for both embodying the culture and calling it out when they think something doesn’t align. For myself I think it’s essential to instill these things in my everyday practices and the way I operate; leading by example and nurturing our culture from the top down is paramount. By embodying our values in my daily interactions and decision-making, I’ve sought to instil a culture of integrity, transparency, and empathy.

Maintaining company culture as a tech founder amidst growth is a journey fraught with challenges and opportunities. By defining and communicating our culture, hiring for fit, empowering our team, adapting to change, aligning across departments, and leading by example, we’ve cultivated a workplace where individuals thrive, ideas flourish, and innovation knows no bounds. As we continue to scale new heights, preserving our cultural identity remains not just a priority but a sacred duty. After all, in the ever-changing landscape of tech, our culture is the compass guiding us towards a brighter tomorrow.

Cody Candee
Cody Candee
Cody Candee is the founder and CEO of traveltech startup Bounce. Before launching Bounce, Cody was the Product Lead at travel giant Intuit. Before that he co-founded several startups. Cody holds a BA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
RELATED ARTICLES

Most Popular