Fabric: How We Got Here
In March 2015, our company did our first Lemonly Hackathon. The following week I decided to write about it and tell others how it worked and why it was such a great event for our company. You can read it yourself…
The hackathon truly was great, but I was struck by how many comments, emails, and Facebook messages I got from people about the event. Folks saying, “That hackathon idea is great!” or “Could I do a hackathon at my company?” and even “Ok if we copy your hackathon setup?” The answer to all three of these is YES!
With those questions, I realized that other entrepreneurs and business owners want to know the same things. They have the same questions. They struggle with the same challenges. And the best leaders want to make their company better. With that goal of making companies better, I started writing about Lemonly. I wrote about our office. I wrote about our calendar. I wrote about our parental policy. I wrote about our benefits. And without intending to do so at the start, we eventually had a separate blog dedicated solely to culture, called Humans and Resources.
Two and a half years later, with over 20 articles written and over 100 articles shared on our H&R email, I’ve decided we can do more.
Announcing Fabric
The progression seems natural, but it was certainly not the plan. I was a Co-Founder who personally cared about the culture of our company. I wanted to create a place where people wanted to come to work whether it was Monday or Friday. We started a blog about culture to share with others on what we have learned and what we believe.
Today, we’re starting a company to help other companies with their culture.
I’m so excited to announce the launch of Fabric. A company to help businesses define who they are, what they do and how they do it.
Who is Fabric?
Fabric is not Lemonly, but it has the same flavor. Fabric is a collaboration between myself (entrepreneur who cares about company culture) and Rosalynn Verges (HR professional who cares about company culture). It’s the perfect pair.
In early 2013, my co-founder Amy Colgan and I wanted Lemonly to establish core values. All the companies I admired had them, but I had no idea how to get started. I so happened to be playing on a volleyball team with Rosalynn and when I learned she worked in HR, I asked her if she could help Lemonly establish core values. Two meetings later and some great discussion with Amy and I, Lemonly had our first core values, a mission statement, a vision statement, and the foundation of our first employee handbook. (Fabric can do exactly this for you!)
So when Rosalynn called me on September 29th and told me she wanted to become an entrepreneur to help other companies with their culture, I knew I had to ask if she wanted to go in business with me. Thankfully she said yes!
What happens to Humans and Resources?
Great question. Humans and Resources will become Fabric.
The H&R blog is now the Fabric blog. You will still read posts from me and from the Lemonly team, you’ll see posts about other great companies with great culture (see BuluBox and CoSchedule), and you’ll see new posts from Rosalynn who brings nearly 10 years of HR experience and a different perspective.
You can now follow Fabric on Facebook, Twitter, and connect on LinkedIn. Also, the bi-weekly Humans and Resources newsletter will continue to go out to hundreds of people who care about culture, but it will just have a different name and sleek purple color. That’s it.
Let’s build great companies!
Thank you to all of those who have supported our content here at Humans and Resources and to every single one of you who is carrying the flag of company culture. Whether you are CEO or intern, you are a part of a company culture and have an impact on your company. Together, with you + Fabric, we’re going to change the way companies look and act. Let’s build great companies!
Your friend,
John T. Meyer
To learn more as Fabric begins its journey and to read stories of other great companies who care about culture, sign up for the Fabric newsletter.
