Culture Value in the World of Startup Tech Companies

Many entrepreneurs recognize culture as an essential component of startup tech company success, but fail to realize the true elements of a “successful” company culture.

Culture. It’s a word that gets thrown around a lot these days, especially in reference to startup companies that are eager to build a strong team or hire new talent. Most entrepreneurs do recognize that a company culture can make or break the enthusiasm of their workers, but too many startups have a false perception on what a successful culture should include.

Google and Zappos are two of the first companies people think of when they think of companies with great culture, and it makes sense because those companies often rank high in terms of the happiness of their employees. But as business writer Carmel Deamicis notes, it isn’t just the wacky humor or laid-back atmosphere of those companies that produces the great results.

Many people get trapped in thinking that the secret to great culture is a blend of fun, humor, happiness, and free stuff—ranging from free food to luxurious benefits. While those things can be important, Deamicis notes that the true secret to a successful culture goes beyond such surface level amenities.

To illustrate her point, Deamicis explains how designer tile company Trazzio used its strategy of marketing to high-income environmentally conscious people to define its culture—rather than simply building a culture from a stock understanding of what a positive company culture was. In this way, Trazzio focused on solidifying their company goals before anything else, and used those goals to define their culture.

Key takeaways for startup tech entrepreneurs:

Focus on your goals first and foremost. Your goals should dictate your culture.
Don’t just focus on what you read about Google and similar companies. Focus on what will work for you and your team.
Build an environment that reflects your attitudes and a reward system that will produce the results you want.
Understand that there is no one-size-fits-all for startup tech company culture. Build something unique to yours.

With this understanding, you can develop a company culture that can survive long-term, and help your employees realize their full potential.

You can find Carmel Deamicis’s original story here.

4 Elements of Successful Culture in Startup Tech Companies

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photo credit: brizzle born and bred via photopin cc

About the Author

Jose Vasquez is a serial entrepreneur and tech specialist dedicated to helping startup tech companies grow and succeed. As the founder of Build. Brand. Blast., Jose has worked with dozens of enterprises to find direction, gain momentum, and achieve results.