When I first started my firm, I didn’t have a clue what kind of culture I wanted to create. Like most new business owners, I was focused on getting clients, moving cases, and just trying to survive. Culture wasn’t a word I thought much about—much less something I had a clear plan for.
But over time, I’ve learned something critical: whether you’re intentional about it or not, your company will have a culture.
The only question is—will it be the one you want?
The Culture Myth: It Just “Happens”
A lot of leaders think culture is the vibe in the office. Or how people get along. Or whether someone brings doughnuts on Fridays.
That’s not culture. That’s ambiance.
Culture is what your team does when you’re not in the room.
It’s the unspoken rules. The way decisions get made. The energy people bring to their work. The standard that’s accepted—or not.
And here’s the hard truth: it all starts with the owner.
Your team is always watching. How you handle stress. How you talk about clients. How you show up on Monday mornings. What you tolerate. What you celebrate. What you let slide.
If you want a strong, high-performing culture, you have to build it brick by brick—and it starts with you.
1. Culture Starts Before Day One
Your culture doesn’t begin on a new hire’s first day—it starts during the interview process.
Here’s how:
- Ask questions that reveal mindset, grit, and ownership.
- Talk about your company’s values up front—not just the job duties.
- Set expectations about what kind of workplace you’re building: one with accountability, autonomy, and excellence.
If someone is surprised by your culture after they’re hired, that’s a failure in the interview process.
Pro Tip:
Let your job postings, interviews, and hiring funnel reflect your core values. If you want A-players, don’t write C-player job descriptions.
2. Culture Lives in Onboarding and Training
The first 90 days are critical. That’s when new team members internalize “how we do things here.”
And if your onboarding is an afterthought, your culture will be too.
Ask yourself:
- Do new hires hear directly from leadership about your mission and values?
- Are you modeling the behaviors you expect?
- Are you reinforcing core values through training, mentorship, and regular feedback?
At our firm, we now treat onboarding like leadership development. It’s where we lay the foundation for performance, professionalism, and purpose.
3. Culture Must Be Maintained Through Consistency and Discipline
Once you’ve defined your culture, you have to protect it.
That means:
- Holding people accountable.
- Giving feedback—early and often.
- Rewarding the right behaviors, not just the right results.
- Removing toxicity fast, no matter how “productive” someone is.
And here’s the key: you can’t do this just once or twice.
Culture, like fitness, is a daily practice.
If you only talk about your values at retreats and not in the day-to-day…
If you only recognize your top performers and ignore the quiet A-players who grind consistently…
If you let small issues slide because you’re busy or don’t like conflict…
Then your culture will weaken—and you’ll feel it in every part of the business.
From Chaos to Clarity: Our Culture Today
When I started this firm, I didn’t know what culture I was building. I just knew I wanted to grow a great business. But growth without culture leads to chaos.
As we scaled—adding team members, opening new offices, taking on more clients—something became crystal clear:
Without intentional culture, nothing else works.
Now, we’re committed to a culture of high performance and accountability.
That means:
- We measure results.
- We speak up when something’s off.
- We celebrate wins—big and small.
- We push each other to be better, every single day.
And most importantly: we hold ourselves to the same standard we expect from others.
Here’s What I’ve Learned About Culture
If you’re building something—or rebuilding after some stumbles—here are a few takeaways from my journey that might help:
1. You Set the Tone
Every culture problem is a leadership problem. If something in your culture isn’t working, look in the mirror first.
2. What You Allow Is What You Teach
The fastest way to erode culture is to tolerate behavior that goes against your values. One toxic person can undo months of progress.
3. Culture Needs Structure
You can’t just “hope” for a great culture. It has to be baked into your:
- Hiring
- Onboarding
- Training
- Feedback systems
- Leadership meetings
- Recognition programs
4. Culture Is Hard Work—But Worth It
There’s no shortcut. Building a strong culture requires intention, repetition, and uncomfortable conversations. But when you get it right? It transforms everything.
What Culture Are You Building?
If you’re a founder or leader, don’t wait for culture to “show up.” You already have one. The only question is: does it reflect who you are and what you believe?
Take some time this week to reflect:
- What kind of culture do I want to lead?
- Am I modeling that in my own behavior?
- Where am I being inconsistent?
- What needs to change?
Then commit to taking one step—just one—to make your culture more intentional, more aligned, and more powerful.
Because culture isn’t a side project.
Culture is the strategy.
