The Conscious Founder: Foundations of Belonging
In the last year, we’ve worked with leaders at a variety of organization types to boost workplace culture, integrate feminist values and principles into board structures, and in some cases, puzzle through how to adapt long-standing cultures to appeal to a new generation of employees as well as existing employees whose values and priorities shifted during the pandemic.
From early-stage companies to established organizations, one thing has become crystal clear to us: culture isn't just a set of values on paper; it's a living, breathing entity that flows from the top—from founders, starting early.
My co-Founder and I know from experience that pressure to prioritize business goals and back-burner values and culture, especially in the early stages of development. But we also know from experience that getting clear on your values and how you want them to inform your culture will be critical as you begin to scale.
This point was underscored by our recent conversation with August co-Founder Nadya Okamoto and Camp Lost Boys Founder and former Folx CMO Rocco Kayiatos. Both Nadya and Rocco spoke to the incredible importance of founders thinking beyond the external problem they want to solve and dedicating as much energy to looking within at their own organizational culture to ensure their values are being as embodied internally as they are externally. Nadya, in particular, noted how hard this can be for venture capital-backed startups that might launch with clear values, but that can struggle to maintain those values as they grow.
If you’re a founder looking ahead to 2024, we encourage you to think as deeply about nurturing a values-based culture as you do about nurturing your business goals. After all, values provide a stable foundation for the long term, and help you build a sustainable, purpose-driven organization that resonates with employees, customers, and stakeholders.
That’s why we’re excited to bring you this series, which explores how founders in ideation and pre-seed (yes, that early!) to Series-A companies can build values-based cultures fit for scale. In this introductory installment, I offer three ideas that really stood out to us this year, as well as some suggested reading for the break between holiday season and the New Year. The installments in the coming months will dig into each of these three areas with some concrete recommendations and approaches.
1. Ideation to Pre-Seed — Create a Culture of Inclusion by Looking Within
We truly believe this is the most important aspect of building a culture, and it sets a strong foundation for your startup at the very beginning, even before hiring the first employee. While most founders are rightly focused on early product development and market niche identification at this stage, it’s also an ideal time to remember that the culture you eventually enshrine is as much a part of your value proposition as your product or service. And as a founder, your startup culture will flow from you.
It’s at this stage that it’s critical to define your own values, as well as any implicit biases you might bring to the table when you begin building your organizational framework. It’s also critical to emphasize diversity and inclusion as foundational principles in your mission and values. Gen Z is one of the largest generations alive, and in the United States is also considered the nation's most diverse generation in history. They’re the most racially and ethnically diverse of all generations in the workforce, and they’re leaders in sexuality, religious/spirituality, and gender diversity. That means that building an organization in 2023 and beyond absolutely requires that founders understand the deep importance of diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, and even justice across multiple domains.
If it’s a new(er) concept for you, we strongly recommend educating yourself on these matters and engaging with a range of thought leaders to deepen your understanding. This can include networking within diverse communities, attending events, and building relationships with founders of different backgrounds who share your commitment to inclusion.
2. Seed to Series A — Offer Radical Flexibility
As a founder, your journey begins with trust. That starts with the inner work above, which nurtures trust in you as a leader. But you can also demonstrate transformative trust in your team and their abilities to deliver results, regardless of when or where they work. Imagine granting your employees the autonomy to design their work lives, allowing for unlimited vacation and asynchronous collaboration. It's not about counting hours; it's about valuing their freedom. A policy of radical flexibility works well for organizations with core cultural values around transparency, mutual trust, well-being, and open communication.
When radical flexibility is woven into all aspects of the employee experience from the start, you build a culture where equal priority is placed on collective well-being, purposeful work, and business outcomes. With trust as the foundation, your startup is positioned to attract top talent drawn to autonomy and scale through resilience built on balance.
3. Seed to Infinity — Nurture a Culture of Well-Being
Being a leader and being a boss are two incredibly different things. Leadership is a profound responsibility that goes beyond charts and strategies. It's about being the beacon that guides your team through uncharted waters. But leadership isn't only about the decisions you make for the organization; it's also about the choices you make for yourself and the message it sends to your team. In this context, your mental well-being isn't just a personal matter; it's a foundational aspect of effective leadership.
In our Listening to Gen Z webinar, Nadya reminded us that, as a founder, your mental state sets the tone for the entire organization. That holds true for leaders at any level, from Executive Directors and CEOs to team leaders. When you're stressed, overworked, or neglecting your own well-being, it ripples throughout the team, affecting morale and innovation. Recognizing this, forward-thinking leaders prioritize mental health not only for themselves but for their entire workforce. Leaders champion the importance of taking mental health days by not only offering them but also taking them themselves. This sends a clear signal that it's not just acceptable but encouraged to prioritize mental well-being when needed.
As a founder, you've embarked on a journey to not only build a thriving business but also to nurture a culture that reflects your core values, and you’re in the unique position of being able to develop innovative workplace practices that truly embody those values.
I hope that the three initial ideas above will get your creative juices flowing, but because we know it’s been a long year for everyone, stay tuned in the new year for the rest of our series The Conscious Founder, which will include concrete tips to bring each of these ideas to life.
Interested in exploring more?
Recommended reading for founders (and leaders at any scale)
"Radical Candor" by Kim Scott - Focuses on “caring personally” and “challenging directly” to build open, healthy team relationships.
"The Art of Gathering" by Priya Parker - Explores designing meaningful meetings and events that connect people (Great for retreats!).
"The Power of Full Engagement" by Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz - Techniques for managing energy, not time, for sustainable high performance.
"The Culture Code" by Daniel Coyle - Reveals keys for creating an environment of belonging and trust.
"Remote" by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier - Their insights on leading remote teams successfully are invaluable right now.
"The Memo" by Minda Harts - Provides a blueprint for organizations to foster belonging and advancement for women of color.
"Loonshots" by Safi Bahcall - Explains how to nurture innovation while scaling an organization.
* Note, Non-Affiliate Links: These links are provided solely for informational purposes and convenience. We do not have any affiliate relationship with the products or services mentioned, and there is no financial benefit to us. That said, we encourage you to purchase from independent and used bookstores where possible!