Your small business is growing rapidly. How can you ensure your company culture keeps up with the changes?

Without losing your crew! Communicate constantly: Keep everyone informed, celebrate wins, address concerns. Transparency is your life raft, not a megaphone for boasting Hire for culture fit: New talent should mesh with your vibe. Look for people who love your company quirks (as long as the quirks aren't, you know, bad). Scale your rituals: Maintain traditions that build connection. Weekly team lunches can become monthly company picnics (with water balloon fights, because why not?). Empowerment engine: Delegate tasks, encourage ownership. Growth is a team sport, not a solo act. Feedback festival: Gather input, celebrate wins, identify areas for growth. Make culture a constant conversation, not a dusty handbook. Culture crisis averted!

I'd begin with an overview of the company's history, mission, and vision, then discuss core values and their practice. Authenticity is key, so avoid overhyping. Company culture discussions should be thorough and consistent. Foster an engaging work environment by encouraging open feedback and implementing feedback loops using tools like SurveyMonkey. Act on the feedback gathered. Regularly discuss and encourage conversations about company culture to keep values top-of-mind, ensuring they are lived out daily. Remember, out of sight, out of mind.

Scaling the culture inside a small company involves maintaining core values and fostering a positive work environment as the company grows. Start by clearly defining and communicating the company’s mission, vision, and values to all employees. Encourage open communication and regular feedback to ensure everyone feels heard and valued. Lead by example, demonstrating the behaviors and attitudes you want to see throughout the company. Additionally, invest in team-building activities and professional development opportunities to strengthen bonds and enhance skills. Regularly recognize and reward employees who embody the company culture, reinforcing the desired behaviors and fostering a sense of belonging and motivation among the team.

Start by clearly defining your company’s core values. These should be the principles that guide every decision and action within your organization. Document these values and ensure they are communicated clearly to every member of your team. Core values are the foundation of your culture and need to be consistently reinforced. This idea flows to onboarding new hires. New employees should be immersed in your company culture right off the bat. Share your company’s history, mission, and values. Provide them with mentors who embody the culture and can help them fit in and exude the company's values and mission.

Core values every company must have include integrity, accountability, innovation, teamwork, and customer focus. These values build a strong foundation for ethical behavior, responsibility, creativity, collaboration, and customer satisfaction. To share this culture with all employees, start by clearly articulating these values in your mission statement and incorporating them into your onboarding process. Regularly communicate and reinforce these values through team meetings, internal communications, and company events. Lead by example and recognize employees who exemplify these values, creating a culture where these principles are lived and celebrated daily.

Recognize but also reward behaviors that fit your company culture and values, even if it's a pat on the back to let them know what they're doing is great. On the other hand, the reward can be more formal with recognition to be shared with the entire company. Bottom Line: Recognize employees who exemplify your culture, reinforce the importance of your company's values and motivate others to follow suit.

From my personal experience, it's very hard to switch from a "we're family" approach to a "we're a corporation" mindset. So my advice would be to focus on building a team from the very beginning. Each member should have their role, but play together on the field, complementing, helping, and supporting each other.

As you navigate this expansion, fostering a strong company culture becomes even more important. Empowering your team is key. Delegating tasks and trusting employees with ownership fuels a sense of value and investment in the company's success. Keeping communication open is vital too. Regular feedback mechanisms and town halls ensure everyone feels heard and valued. And don't forget to celebrate milestones together! Recognizing achievements strengthens morale and keeps the team spirit soaring.