6 Ways to Build Meaningful Startup Culture

6 Ways to Build Meaningful Startup Culture

6 Ways to Build Meaningful Startup Culture 1600 900 33Voices

Gun to your head, you have to get a tattoo – What do you get it of? Although I’m deathly afraid of needles, in a life or death situation, I’d likely tattoo “JASM” for my family or the Arabic symbol of my favorite religious saying. One thing I wouldn’t get it of, however, is my company logo. Sorry, dad, you have my commitment but not my blood. 

Mike Salguero, the co-founder and CEO of Boston startup CustomMade, is redefining commitment with a tattoo of the company’s logo to show his dedication (No pressure Seth Rosen). 

Although he doesn’t pressure the other employees to follow suit, Mike is a strong believer  that company culture is the essential component of the ownership mentality.

Here are six strategies to cultivate a meaningful startup culture. And if they don’t work, here’s a local tattoo shop finder

  1. Just like you wouldn’t write down the way it feels when you exercise or play with your dog, you can’t ‘write down your culture’- It’s a feeling, live it. 
  2. Identify the most successful people in your company and categorize their strongest traits on sticky notes. 
  3. Screen potential hires based on the stickies their personality fulfills – If the shoe doesn’t fit now, it won’t later. (Put the size 5 Chanel shoes down!) 
  4. Ensure that your current employees understand how the ways they’re impacting the company; Celebrate their achievements. 
  5. When you transmit the mark of leadership to every team member, you afford them the opportunity to make working at your startup the most meaningful part of their career 
  6. Don’t neglect your employees dedication – A startup is like a family, commit yourself to genuinely caring about each team member.