the year is 2012 this is a picture of my co-founder Andrew and I and we’re two
co-founder Andrew and I and we’re two
co-founder Andrew and I and we’re two software engineers we had just left our
software engineers we had just left our
software engineers we had just left our jobs at Google and we had a dream to
jobs at Google and we had a dream to
jobs at Google and we had a dream to start our company we’re young we’re
start our company we’re young we’re
start our company we’re young we’re hungry and all we had was a name for the
hungry and all we had was a name for the
hungry and all we had was a name for the company lean phone not much else well we
company lean phone not much else well we
company lean phone not much else well we decided to go to an incubator called
decided to go to an incubator called
decided to go to an incubator called tech stars in Seattle to learn what it’s
tech stars in Seattle to learn what it’s
tech stars in Seattle to learn what it’s like to actually build a company there’s
like to actually build a company there’s
like to actually build a company there’s a lot of great things you can learn
a lot of great things you can learn
a lot of great things you can learn their fundraising you can learn how to
their fundraising you can learn how to
their fundraising you can learn how to build a product but for me it was
build a product but for me it was
build a product but for me it was actually one of the things you wouldn’t
actually one of the things you wouldn’t
actually one of the things you wouldn’t expect that you would learn at this kind
expect that you would learn at this kind
expect that you would learn at this kind of school that really struck with me
of school that really struck with me
of school that really struck with me this is a ritual that we did every
this is a ritual that we did every
this is a ritual that we did every Wednesday at 11:11 p.m. and we would all
Wednesday at 11:11 p.m. and we would all
Wednesday at 11:11 p.m. and we would all gather together there’s ten companies
gather together there’s ten companies
gather together there’s ten companies maybe about 20 people and everybody
maybe about 20 people and everybody
maybe about 20 people and everybody shared their high and their low of the
shared their high and their low of the
shared their high and their low of the week and this was it and all of a sudden
week and this was it and all of a sudden
week and this was it and all of a sudden you can feel how people empathize with
you can feel how people empathize with
you can feel how people empathize with each other you can feel a sense of
each other you can feel a sense of
each other you can feel a sense of community people wanted to help each
community people wanted to help each
community people wanted to help each other it was really powerful and that
other it was really powerful and that
other it was really powerful and that really struck with me at the time I
really struck with me at the time I
really struck with me at the time I didn’t think much of it but later on I
didn’t think much of it but later on I
didn’t think much of it but later on I learned that this is probably one of the
learned that this is probably one of the
learned that this is probably one of the most important lessons I learned in
most important lessons I learned in
most important lessons I learned in techstars but before we continue I just
techstars but before we continue I just
techstars but before we continue I just wanted to see a show of hands how many
wanted to see a show of hands how many
wanted to see a show of hands how many of you have been told at some point in
of you have been told at some point in
of you have been told at some point in your career that you shouldn’t mix
your career that you shouldn’t mix
your career that you shouldn’t mix personal life with work or you shouldn’t
personal life with work or you shouldn’t
personal life with work or you shouldn’t bring your personal life to work yeah
bring your personal life to work yeah
bring your personal life to work yeah that’s that’s what I thought well Google
that’s that’s what I thought well Google
that’s that’s what I thought well Google says there’s 49 million results about
says there’s 49 million results about
says there’s 49 million results about that so you can read all about that and
that so you can read all about that and
that so you can read all about that and you know this story is really about how
you know this story is really about how
you know this story is really about how we went against this general rule of
we went against this general rule of
we went against this general rule of thumb and how as a result of that we
thumb and how as a result of that we
thumb and how as a result of that we build a company with a hundred sixty
build a company with a hundred sixty
build a company with a hundred sixty people that is spread across three
people that is spread across three
people that is spread across three continents and is a fast-growing company
continents and is a fast-growing company
continents and is a fast-growing company with rating for a best place to work so
with rating for a best place to work so
with rating for a best place to work so this is what I wanted to share with you
this is what I wanted to share with you
this is what I wanted to share with you today well I was also told that I
today well I was also told that I
today well I was also told that I shouldn’t bring my personal life to work
shouldn’t bring my personal life to work
shouldn’t bring my personal life to work when I was an employee and it never
when I was an employee and it never
when I was an employee and it never really felt right to me there’s actually
really felt right to me there’s actually
really felt right to me there’s actually a study from Harvard University which is
a study from Harvard University which is
a study from Harvard University which is the longest study on human happiness and
the longest study on human happiness and
the longest study on human happiness and they they tracked the light so if it
they they tracked the light so if it
they they tracked the light so if it started in the 40s I think in
started in the 40s I think in
started in the 40s I think in lasted for about eighty years it’s still
lasted for about eighty years it’s still
lasted for about eighty years it’s still going and what they determine is that
going and what they determine is that
going and what they determine is that most people think that happiness comes
most people think that happiness comes
most people think that happiness comes from money or fame even if you ask today
from money or fame even if you ask today
from money or fame even if you ask today but in reality that doesn’t actually
but in reality that doesn’t actually
but in reality that doesn’t actually correlate with happiness
correlate with happiness
correlate with happiness what does is meaningful relationships
what does is meaningful relationships
what does is meaningful relationships and so if humans are happy if we have
and so if humans are happy if we have
and so if humans are happy if we have social connections and meaningful
social connections and meaningful
social connections and meaningful connections why is it that employees are
connections why is it that employees are
connections why is it that employees are any different well as a founder I have a
any different well as a founder I have a
any different well as a founder I have a lot of perks you know I can pick the
lot of perks you know I can pick the
lot of perks you know I can pick the product I want to work on I can pick the
product I want to work on I can pick the
product I want to work on I can pick the location of our office but probably my
location of our office but probably my
location of our office but probably my favorite Park is that I can also pick
favorite Park is that I can also pick
favorite Park is that I can also pick the blueprints for the company that I
the blueprints for the company that I
the blueprints for the company that I can start and so there’s a lot of great
can start and so there’s a lot of great
can start and so there’s a lot of great companies out there there’s a lot of
companies out there there’s a lot of
companies out there there’s a lot of different ways to build a company
different ways to build a company
different ways to build a company there’s companies like you know Apple
there’s companies like you know Apple
there’s companies like you know Apple that is more autocratic company they’re
that is more autocratic company they’re
that is more autocratic company they’re very secretive about the way they do
very secretive about the way they do
very secretive about the way they do things there’s companies like IBM that
things there’s companies like IBM that
things there’s companies like IBM that are bureaucratic told process-oriented
are bureaucratic told process-oriented
are bureaucratic told process-oriented there’s companies like Google where I
there’s companies like Google where I
there’s companies like Google where I worked which is very engineering or
worked which is very engineering or
worked which is very engineering or starlett organization but the kind of
starlett organization but the kind of
starlett organization but the kind of company we wanted to do as start is is
company we wanted to do as start is is
company we wanted to do as start is is different it was a company that was
different it was a company that was
different it was a company that was based on putting the people first a
based on putting the people first a
based on putting the people first a company that truly enables individuals
company that truly enables individuals
company that truly enables individuals to connect with each other at work and
to connect with each other at work and
to connect with each other at work and for that you do need to bring your
for that you do need to bring your
for that you do need to bring your personal life to work this is just a
personal life to work this is just a
personal life to work this is just a quick picture of one of our gatherings
quick picture of one of our gatherings
quick picture of one of our gatherings that we do there’s actually a lot of
that we do there’s actually a lot of
that we do there’s actually a lot of research on this I found a study at
research on this I found a study at
research on this I found a study at Stanford University that mentions all
Stanford University that mentions all
Stanford University that mentions all four of these types of companies and
four of these types of companies and
four of these types of companies and turns out that culture driven company is
turns out that culture driven company is
turns out that culture driven company is actually way more likely to achieve an
actually way more likely to achieve an
actually way more likely to achieve an IPF well public offering compared to any
IPF well public offering compared to any
IPF well public offering compared to any of the other ones yet it’s actually
of the other ones yet it’s actually
of the other ones yet it’s actually really hard to build a culture first
really hard to build a culture first
really hard to build a culture first company and I think facilities if who’s
company and I think facilities if who’s
company and I think facilities if who’s one of my favorite entrepreneurs says
one of my favorite entrepreneurs says
one of my favorite entrepreneurs says this really well that it appears that a
this really well that it appears that a
this really well that it appears that a lot of successful high-growth companies
lot of successful high-growth companies
lot of successful high-growth companies tend to follow Moore’s law
tend to follow Moore’s law
tend to follow Moore’s law so Moore’s law essentially you double
so Moore’s law essentially you double
so Moore’s law essentially you double the size of the company every 18 months
the size of the company every 18 months
the size of the company every 18 months but you need to constantly reinvent the
but you need to constantly reinvent the
but you need to constantly reinvent the company reinvent the way you do things
company reinvent the way you do things
company reinvent the way you do things in order to keep it up and that’s what
in order to keep it up and that’s what
in order to keep it up and that’s what makes it hard it’s not easy to just keep
makes it hard it’s not easy to just keep
makes it hard it’s not easy to just keep adding more people you have to be very
adding more people you have to be very
adding more people you have to be very thoughtful about how you preserve what
thoughtful about how you preserve what
thoughtful about how you preserve what makes the company special in a culture
makes the company special in a culture
makes the company special in a culture but it
but it
but it same time that’s why these companies in
same time that’s why these companies in
same time that’s why these companies in Europe because they have the ability to
Europe because they have the ability to
Europe because they have the ability to go through the highs and lows of
go through the highs and lows of
go through the highs and lows of start-up life and that’s why they have a
start-up life and that’s why they have a
start-up life and that’s why they have a much higher success rate well we’ve
much higher success rate well we’ve
much higher success rate well we’ve learned a lot of things along the way
learned a lot of things along the way
learned a lot of things along the way and we’ve certainly had to adjust things
and we’ve certainly had to adjust things
and we’ve certainly had to adjust things to make it work and I just wanted to
to make it work and I just wanted to
to make it work and I just wanted to share some of the learnings we’ve had of
share some of the learnings we’ve had of
share some of the learnings we’ve had of course when we started the company we
course when we started the company we
course when we started the company we borrowed the highs and lows ritual that
borrowed the highs and lows ritual that
borrowed the highs and lows ritual that we did in TechStars and it worked great
we did in TechStars and it worked great
we did in TechStars and it worked great everybody loved it every Friday we got
everybody loved it every Friday we got
everybody loved it every Friday we got together and then by the time we got to
together and then by the time we got to
together and then by the time we got to 20 people it was just taking too long it
20 people it was just taking too long it
20 people it was just taking too long it would take 45 minutes to go through
would take 45 minutes to go through
would take 45 minutes to go through everybody and I was sad but we had to
everybody and I was sad but we had to
everybody and I was sad but we had to cancel the activity and eventually it
cancel the activity and eventually it
cancel the activity and eventually it took us another two years to figure out
took us another two years to figure out
took us another two years to figure out what to replace it with and I always
what to replace it with and I always
what to replace it with and I always felt like there was something missing in
felt like there was something missing in
felt like there was something missing in our culture because we couldn’t keep up
our culture because we couldn’t keep up
our culture because we couldn’t keep up that really important piece of
that really important piece of
that really important piece of connecting with the highs and the lows
connecting with the highs and the lows
connecting with the highs and the lows and well we figured out is something
and well we figured out is something
and well we figured out is something that we call big talk dinners it’s a
that we call big talk dinners it’s a
that we call big talk dinners it’s a tribute to a Tech Talk on Big Talk and
tribute to a Tech Talk on Big Talk and
tribute to a Tech Talk on Big Talk and so what we do is we get together and
so what we do is we get together and
so what we do is we get together and just a lot of different ways to do this
just a lot of different ways to do this
just a lot of different ways to do this maybe during the off-site or retreat or
maybe during the off-site or retreat or
maybe during the off-site or retreat or even in the office and all we do is just
even in the office and all we do is just
even in the office and all we do is just get around the table and we share a list
get around the table and we share a list
get around the table and we share a list of Big Talk questions
of Big Talk questions
of Big Talk questions Big Talk questions are unlike small talk
Big Talk questions are unlike small talk
Big Talk questions are unlike small talk questions so small talk is asking how
questions so small talk is asking how
questions so small talk is asking how your weekend was big talk is about
your weekend was big talk is about
your weekend was big talk is about really trying to understand things like
really trying to understand things like
really trying to understand things like well what do you really want to do with
well what do you really want to do with
well what do you really want to do with your life you know a little bit deeper
your life you know a little bit deeper
your life you know a little bit deeper and it enables people to connect in a
and it enables people to connect in a
and it enables people to connect in a more meaningful way and this is work
more meaningful way and this is work
more meaningful way and this is work really great for us so this is something
really great for us so this is something
really great for us so this is something that we do across teams across
that we do across teams across
that we do across teams across departments but also within teams and
departments but also within teams and
departments but also within teams and it’s been able to scale as we’ve grown
it’s been able to scale as we’ve grown
it’s been able to scale as we’ve grown the company we also learned pretty early
the company we also learned pretty early
the company we also learned pretty early on that a lot of people when they enjoy
on that a lot of people when they enjoy
on that a lot of people when they enjoy our company they they thought that it
our company they they thought that it
our company they they thought that it felt like a family and they kept
felt like a family and they kept
felt like a family and they kept repeating this and it didn’t really
repeating this and it didn’t really
repeating this and it didn’t really strike me as the right word to use in a
strike me as the right word to use in a
strike me as the right word to use in a family you can have a an uncle that
family you can have a an uncle that
family you can have a an uncle that doesn’t like to do the dishes and you
doesn’t like to do the dishes and you
doesn’t like to do the dishes and you can’t really do anything about that
can’t really do anything about that
can’t really do anything about that right just you have to put up with it
right just you have to put up with it
right just you have to put up with it but I feel like a better way to describe
but I feel like a better way to describe
but I feel like a better way to describe what we do and who we are is a sports
what we do and who we are is a sports
what we do and who we are is a sports team because a sports team really builds
team because a sports team really builds
team because a sports team really builds really good good group dynamics but in
really good good group dynamics but in
really good good group dynamics but in this in addition to that they also have
this in addition to that they also have
this in addition to that they also have a common goal and with that common goal
a common goal and with that common goal
a common goal and with that common goal they know that if somebody is
they know that if somebody is
they know that if somebody is pulling their weight they’re gonna be on
pulling their weight they’re gonna be on
pulling their weight they’re gonna be on the bench and this is really something
the bench and this is really something
the bench and this is really something important that we have to instill and so
important that we have to instill and so
important that we have to instill and so we changed the way we talk about our
we changed the way we talk about our
we changed the way we talk about our culture from feeling a family to a
culture from feeling a family to a
culture from feeling a family to a feeling of sports team and then the
feeling of sports team and then the
feeling of sports team and then the other thing that didn’t scale for us is
other thing that didn’t scale for us is
other thing that didn’t scale for us is how we actually enforce our culture
how we actually enforce our culture
how we actually enforce our culture because when you hire you also have to
because when you hire you also have to
because when you hire you also have to make sure that you screen in the right
make sure that you screen in the right
make sure that you screen in the right people and I used to do all the culture
people and I used to do all the culture
people and I used to do all the culture interviews I probably did hundreds of
interviews I probably did hundreds of
interviews I probably did hundreds of them and at some point that just didn’t
them and at some point that just didn’t
them and at some point that just didn’t scale and so what we have to do is
scale and so what we have to do is
scale and so what we have to do is codify essentially what the culture
codify essentially what the culture
codify essentially what the culture means what are the principles that we
means what are the principles that we
means what are the principles that we can write down the values that we have
can write down the values that we have
can write down the values that we have that everybody in the company can go in
that everybody in the company can go in
that everybody in the company can go in and scream for and so we came up with is
and scream for and so we came up with is
and scream for and so we came up with is lead humbly which internally we call
lead humbly which internally we call
lead humbly which internally we call them no asshole role by the way we have
them no asshole role by the way we have
them no asshole role by the way we have the being adore the skip politics push
the being adore the skip politics push
the being adore the skip politics push innovation and showing a gratitude and
innovation and showing a gratitude and
innovation and showing a gratitude and it’s just those five that we wrote down
it’s just those five that we wrote down
it’s just those five that we wrote down and they work really well for us so in
and they work really well for us so in
and they work really well for us so in essence what we found in the last
essence what we found in the last
essence what we found in the last journey the journey of the last five
journey the journey of the last five
journey the journey of the last five years is it may seem obvious to you but
years is it may seem obvious to you but
years is it may seem obvious to you but it’s surprisingly controversial and it’s
it’s surprisingly controversial and it’s
it’s surprisingly controversial and it’s that employee happiness really is human
that employee happiness really is human
that employee happiness really is human happiness and if you want to be happy at
happiness and if you want to be happy at
happiness and if you want to be happy at work you have to be able to bring your
work you have to be able to bring your
work you have to be able to bring your personal life to work you have to be
personal life to work you have to be
personal life to work you have to be able to connect with the people around
able to connect with the people around
able to connect with the people around you I asked our managing director from
you I asked our managing director from
you I asked our managing director from techstars about you know the low and
techstars about you know the low and
techstars about you know the low and high highs and lows ritual and where it
high highs and lows ritual and where it
high highs and lows ritual and where it came from and he actually shared with me
came from and he actually shared with me
came from and he actually shared with me that that came from his personal company
that that came from his personal company
that that came from his personal company he had started a company before he
he had started a company before he
he had started a company before he passed that on to us as a way for us to
passed that on to us as a way for us to
passed that on to us as a way for us to build our company and my hope is that I
build our company and my hope is that I
build our company and my hope is that I want to pass all that to you as well and
want to pass all that to you as well and
want to pass all that to you as well and if you’re considering starting a company
if you’re considering starting a company
if you’re considering starting a company or you’re considering joining one
or you’re considering joining one
or you’re considering joining one consider not just the product that
consider not just the product that
consider not just the product that you’re gonna work on or the service that
you’re gonna work on or the service that
you’re gonna work on or the service that you can offer but also the culture that
you can offer but also the culture that
you can offer but also the culture that you can actually join because there is
you can actually join because there is
you can actually join because there is really a new generation of companies out
really a new generation of companies out
really a new generation of companies out there that really put people first and
there that really put people first and
there that really put people first and care about employee happiness thank you
care about employee happiness thank you
care about employee happiness thank you [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] you
you
you [Applause]
”
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