According to Deloitte, 94% of executives and 88% of employees say a strong culture is key to success, but only 19% of executives believe their organization’s culture is “widely upheld” throughout the organization. This gap reveals both the recognized value of culture and the widespread opportunity to do better.
In the rush to launch a successful venture, many founders prioritize product, profit and scale, leaving culture to take shape on its own. But culture doesn’t wait. If you don’t design it, it will design itself. More than just an internal dynamic, it’s a powerful competitive advantage that drives employee engagement, improves performance, reduces turnover and encourages innovation. Organizations that invest in culture create workplaces where people feel valued, empowered and committed to shared success.
So how can you build a culture you’re proud of from the start? We’re excited to explore that, so let’s dive in.
Why Culture Can’t Wait
The early stage of a company is the perfect time to set a cultural foundation. Every small action—how meetings are run, how feedback is given and how wins are celebrated—sets a precedent.
Without intention, unproductive patterns can take hold:
- Silos between departments
- Burnout from unclear boundaries
- Low psychological safety for voicing ideas
Organizations like Y Combinator and Harvard Business Review emphasize culture as a core leadership function, not an HR side project. You don’t need a massive team or budget—you need intentionality, empathy and consistency.
To build on that foundation, exploring conferences and events can be a great way to deepen your understanding of company culture and connect with like-minded professionals who prioritize it. For strategic, culture-first leaders, events like CultureCon and the GPTW Summit offer valuable insights. Meanwhile, HR-focused conferences such as SHRM and Unleash blend cultural strategies with practical policies, engagement tactics and tech tools. No matter where your organization is in its growth journey, these events can help you navigate and shape a path that aligns with what you’re building.
Culture Is Built Through Actions, Not Just Values
Culture starts with a clear mission and vision. Once defined, they guide the creation of core values—the principles that shape how people interact, measure success and lead. These values form the foundation of your culture. But naming them isn’t enough. What truly matters is whether they’re consistently lived out across the organization.
Ask yourself:
- Do team meetings reflect the values we say we believe in?
- Are people empowered to make decisions, or does everything funnel through the founder?
- How do we respond to mistakes? Are they learning moments or reasons for blame?
At Edson E+I at Arizona State University, we emphasize that culture is built through habits, behaviors and intentional rituals. It’s not a one-time announcement. It’s a daily practice. That’s why we’ve invested in building a strong culture internally—not just as a model for our entrepreneurs, but also as a reflection of what we stand for ourselves.
What We’re Doing at Edson E+I: CrossConnect and More
Even in large, hybrid teams like ours, culture takes root in the small things. It shows up in the rhythms of our meetings, the tone of our Slack messages and how we show up for each other. That’s why we’ve launched a variety of internal initiatives designed to make culture-building visible and actionable.
CrossConnect
This relationship-building initiative pairs Edson E+I team members from different divisions for informal, one-on-one conversations over six months.
- Team members choose their partners or are paired intentionally
- No deliverables—just authentic connection points
- Prompts and ideas provided to keep conversations flowing
- Quarterly data showed an 8% increase in team members feeling connected and a more than 50% increase in weekly informal interactions
So what? CrossConnect helps dismantle silos, boosts morale and encourages peer support, resulting in stronger collaboration and a deeper sense of belonging. (See our CrossConnect user guide here: CrossConnect User Guide.pdf)
Summer Series
We’ve created a seasonal speaker series where team members give 5–10 minute informal presentations on anything they’re passionate about. Some of the topics include:
- Cruise planning tips
- Wedding photos
- A nonprofit spotlight
- Zoonotic diseases, but make it funny
So what? The Summer Series strengthens psychological safety and humanizes coworkers, making it easier to work together. (See our Summer Series guide here: Summer Series User Guide.pdf)
Interest Groups
Based on team feedback, we formed virtual breakout rooms by interest: book clubs, food and wine, mental health, hiking and even entrepreneurship. People voted on topics, and facilitators managed each room for casual, community-focused conversation.
So what? These groups build trust outside of work tasks, fostering empathy, creativity and new partnerships. (See our Interest Groups guide here: Interest Groups User Guide.pdf)
Team Meeting Co-Hosts
Weekly meetings begin with two co-hosts who lead fun or reflective activities, such as:
- Kahoot trivia
- Desk-hand yoga
- ‘Quick Draw!’ AI Pictionary
- Storytelling
So what? This format amplifies team voices and creates a culture of shared leadership and engagement. (See our Co-Hosts guide here:Co-Hosts User Guide.pdf)
Culture Is an Early Investment with Lifelong ROI
For startups and large institutions alike, the message is clear: strong culture doesn’t emerge on its own—it must be built. And the best time to start? Day one. Whether you’re running a five-person team or a university-wide initiative, these small actions matter:
- Prioritize human connection
- Elevate different voices
- Reinforce your values through practice, not posters
As we’ve learned at Edson E+I, culture isn’t just the “vibe” of a workplace—it’s the infrastructure for collaboration, trust and long-term success. If you’re ready to create a culture that reflects your values and vision, start small—pick one connection-building practice and commit to trying it with your team this quarter.
