At most companies, the mission is shaped by the product and the product is shaped by the people. But something special happens when a company infuses all three into its internal culture. The result is an organization that not only believes in its mission but also lives it out each day.
See what these four companies had to say about how product and mission impact culture.
MakeMusic creates a range of software programs for music makers and educators around the world, helping musicians hone their craft and maximize their creative potential. Technical communications specialist Melanie Balderas has a background in music and sound engineering. She shared some examples of how MakeMusic’s products permeate the internal culture.
What three words would you use to describe your company culture?
Collaborative, diverse and agile.
What are some ways your product manifests in your company's culture?
Our products emphasize deliberate practice and it's great to see how that is reflected through our studio, The Woodshed. We have employees book time daily to practice their instrument or collaborate with others. I've gotten to work on some pretty cool projects with guests and employees, like when we hosted students for a master class with Gordon Goodwin from Grammy-award winning Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band.
What's the most rewarding aspect of working on the team behind your product?
Knowing that I am able to help musicians at all levels make music. Schools in my hometown of Frisco, TX use SmartMusic, and Finale is used for many of the courses at Berklee College of Music where I studied. It is amazing to go from using this software throughout my education to being on the team behind these products.
Anyone who’s trained for an endurance event understands how much training and dedication goes into it. TrainingPeaks provides a platform for athletes and coaches to connect, collaborate and reach their athletic goals. Abby Mitchell is a graphic designer for TrainingPeaks, but when she’s not at work, she’s out training for her next ultramarathon. She explained why she loves working for a company where the product and culture align.
What three words would you use to describe your company culture?
I’d describe TrainingPeaks company culture as relaxed, supportive and fun. I love coming in on a Monday morning and hearing what adventures my co-workers were up to over the weekend.
What are some ways your product manifests in your company's culture?
At TrainingPeaks, our products are geared towards athletes bettering themselves and their athletic performances by following a model of deliberate practice. Because of that, I always feel supported by my co-workers when I’m training for an ultramarathon race. They understand the focus that goes into event preparation, and that sense of like-mindedness goes a long way. I’m able to feel like my goals outside of work align with my professional life.
What's the most rewarding aspect of working on the team behind your product?
The most rewarding aspect of working at TrainingPeaks is running into athletes who use our products and hearing how it’s bettered them as athletes. I’m proud to be pouring myself into a product that others believe in as much as I do.
Traditional cable companies have struggled in recent years to deliver the kind of modern media and entertainment services consumers demand. Layer3 TV seeks to change that by growing its company with people who get it, people who are passionate about good entertainment and good customer experiences. CMO Eric Kuhn — a long-time media consultant and former television producer — explained why people who are a good fit for the product are also a good fit for the culture.
What three words would you use to describe your company culture?
Innovative, customer-centric, dynamic.
What are some ways your mission manifests in your company's culture?
We set out to build a cable company centered on the customer. Entertaining that customer and making sure he or she can simply sit down on the couch and have a fantastic time watching content is the reason we built Layer3 TV. People inside the company are entertainment enthusiasts who are passionate about customer service at all touch points and laser-focused on innovating this industry.
What's the most rewarding aspect of working on the team behind your product?
When we see people coming together around big television events, or simply on a Friday night, and enjoying their favorite program on Layer3 TV.
Personal Capital marries technology and financial planning services, bringing an old, conventional industry into the digital age. Given the diverse backgrounds of its employees and its unique approach to wealth management, the company is able to foster a culture that merges all of those worlds. Financial planning manager Amin Dabit shared his insights.
What three words you would you use to describe your company culture?
Efficient, collaborative, passionate.
What are some ways your mission manifests in your company's culture?
Our mission is to provide “better financial lives through technology, data and people.”
Our product provides individuals and families transparent insight into their financial lives. After combining it with our people, we’re able to help clients make better financial decisions and put them on a better path.
As a team, we utilize our combined and diverse industry backgrounds to help each other and improve many of our processes. We collaborate together to address user and client financial issues. We exchange ideas for how we can improve our product and enable our advisors to more easily help users and clients. Our open format office helps reinforce the sense that we are a big team, working together and building something special.
What's the most rewarding aspect of working on the team behind your product?
The sense of community that collaborates together to lead the future of wealth management. Combining the efforts of engineering, design, portfolio management and advisory teams is a beautiful combination that is not part of traditional banking firms.
Photos via featured companies.
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