As a business owner, I often think about ways to create a great culture. I also talk to business owners all the time who are looking for a way to build a culture around a unique set of values.

One of our three core values at Matchstic is harmony.  It's our belief that in order to do great work and have real impact, we have to be in harmony with each other, our clients, and our community.  Harmony doesn't mean an absence of tension, but quite the opposite: harmony is the goal and it often requires some tense yet respectful conversations in order to get there.

One day I was blown away by our intern at the time (now employee) Alana Dy announced that she was making lunch for everyone. It was such a great time for everyone to come together.  It wasn't a strategic decision, it was just one person wanting to bring everyone together. It produced harmony. Now we all enjoy the tradition of Matchstic Family Lunch.

I feel I learned a valuable lesson through this: Culture doesn't come from leadership creating initiatives. It comes by bringing together the right people (Alana is awesome), creating an environment that will foster the culture you desire (we built our office with a kitchen as the center point), and then just watch it happen.

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