Building a Culture as a New Company

Oct 18, 2023 | Podcast

World at Work episode 53 Building a culture as a new company

“Once I knew what the mission and vision were, and how to execute the work, it became a little bit easier to figure out how to welcome people in as employees.”

Strong company cultures do not happen by accident. They require deliberate actions and decisions. Jamey Stegmaier, founder of Stonemaier Games knows this firsthand. Using his lifelong passion for playing and designing board games, he built his business with the mission and vision to bring joy to tables worldwide. Building a winning culture doesn’t happen overnight, but by hiring trusted individuals, consolidating tasks, and focusing on consistency, you can create something extraordinary.

Jamey shares how he became fascinated by crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter. He found them to be a great way to connect directly with customers who share a passion for the products he would create. In the case of Stonemaier Games, board games. He was able to work as the sole full-time employee for nearly a decade by outsourcing tasks to independent contractors. However, as the business success continued he felt it was time to build a team.

Hiring employees can be scary for entrepreneurs since it means relinquishing some control over the brand. Consolidating related tasks became a priority for him as a way to improve communication and customer service. Jamey’s key decision was to hire people he already knew and trusted, even though it may not align with traditional hiring practices.

Consistency and brand alignment are crucial to business success, much like the impact you’d feel when visiting a Disney theme park. Jamey recognizes the importance of creating a culture that offers memorable customer experiences and has worked to make sure Stonemaier Games delivers that consistent brand experience.

Make sure to listen to this episode to hear more of Jamey Stegmaier’s story and the deliberate steps he took to build a thriving company culture. This is a great conversation for anyone looking to build winning cultures that empower our teams and create game-changing experiences.