Airbnb's Playbook: Lessons in Building a Culture of Belonging
Culture: it's the invisible glue that holds a startup together, the secret sauce that fuels long-term success.
Culture is the lifeblood of any startup. It's not just about the values you put up on the wall; it's about the values you live every day. As a founder, your values set the tone for your entire organization, from the first handful of employees to the hundreds or thousands that may come later.
Take Airbnb, for example. From the very beginning, founders Brian Chesky and Joe Gebbia were intentional about creating a culture that valued trust, belonging, and hospitality. They knew that if they could create a strong culture internally, it would be reflected in the experience they provided to their customers.
One way they did this was by establishing a clear mission and set of values early on. Airbnb's mission is to "create a world where anyone can belong anywhere," and their values include things like "champion the mission," "be a host," and "embrace the adventure." These values were more than just words on a wall – they were woven into every aspect of the company's culture.
For example, Airbnb has a tradition called "One Airbnb" where employees from different teams and offices come together to work on a project for a week. This helps break down silos and foster a sense of belonging and collaboration across the company. They also have a program called "Night At The Airbnb Office" where employees can stay overnight in the office, just like a guest would stay in an Airbnb rental. This helps employees build empathy for their customers and understand the Airbnb experience firsthand.
In my own journey as a founder, I've seen firsthand how culture can evolve as a startup grows. Early on at Concur, we profiled our founders to look for early candidates who would be a good fit for our culture. As we grew, we started to document the values that we thought were important, like integrity, customer focus, and innovation. We used these values to guide our hiring decisions and to reward good behavior that aligned with our culture. If someone's actions didn't support our values, we provided feedback and coaching to help them course-correct.
This intentional approach to building culture helped us scale from just 50 employees to over 10,000. It wasn't always easy, and we had to adapt our culture as we grew, but by staying true to our core values and being intentional about the kind of company we wanted to build, we were able to create a culture that supported our long-term success.
So, how can founders build a culture that scales? Here are a few actionable tips:
1. Define your values early on. Take the time to think about what's important to you and what kind of company you want to build. Write down your values and share them with your team.
2. Lead by example. As a founder, you set the tone for your entire organization. Make sure you're living your values every day, in everything you do.
3. Hire for cultural fit. When you're bringing on new team members, look for people who share your values and who will contribute to the culture you're trying to build.
4. Reinforce your values regularly. Make sure your values are reflected in your company's policies, procedures, and communication. Celebrate team members who exemplify your values, and address behavior that goes against them.
5. Adapt as you grow. As your startup scales, your culture will inevitably evolve. That's okay – just make sure you're staying true to your core values and adjusting your culture in a way that supports your growth.
Building a strong startup culture takes time and effort, but it's well worth the investment. When you create a culture that reflects your values and supports your mission, you'll attract the right people, build a stronger team, and set yourself up for long-term success.
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