“What my two months of working at a startup taught me about love”

Jeevan Radhakrishna
Inside the Hive
Published in
3 min readDec 6, 2018

You won’t usually associate words like ‘love’, ‘care’ and ‘affection’ with a startup or any kind of employer. But maybe after reading this article, you will.

Meet Hiver. A fascinating company in the densely populated start-up ecosystem of Bengaluru. In an age where companies are solely focussed on getting the most out of an employee, it is extremely refreshing to see an employer not only care for their employees but also put a lot of thought into their well-being.

I joined the Sales Team at Hiver two months back and immediately realized I’d landed at the right place.

Why, you may ask?

For starters, new members are cherry-picked to ensure a solid culture fit with the rest of the team.

They are welcomed with open arms and hearts, and are made to feel at home right away.

This is us. We’re a bunch of happy humble souls who come together to achieve great things. And if you’re wondering, I am the guy on the top right corner with a million dollar smile.

Then there are these amazingly humble founders and managers who won’t even let the words ‘boss’ or ‘manager’ enter the fray at all. They operate as friendly mentors who are always up for a chat and encourage you to try harder.

‘Feedback, over criticism’ is not just an empty phrase thrown around. It is lived everyday as you are always given a chance to learn and grow from your mistakes.

And did I talk about the workspace?

Hiver’s office is straight out of a contemporary design magazine. Take a look for yourself…

A floor plan which invokes inspiration.

A wall mural dedicated to the 80s Rock n Roll Revolution. A coffee machine which brews exotic coffee from around the world. Brick walls donning posters that can find a place in any pop culture publication.

This place is truly one of a kind.

And to top it all off, imagine having three hot meals a day made by a guy who literally infuses his perennial smile into the food he cooks.

Our Kitchen Wizard — Prabhat who makes magical food that fills us up with the energy and warmth to tackle the toughest of days. Also the guy with the most humble smile and the strongest biceps ;)

Hiver really does think of it all.

Friday evening ice creams? Check.

Weekly jam sessions? Check.

A Table Tennis table? Check.

A 3-day trip to Goa where you are given the treatment fit for the royalty.
Hell yes!

‘No stone left unturned’ could possibly be an understatement to describe the thought put into making each employee feel special.

But keeping aside the comforts and perks. The most striking part of Hiver still remains its people. Warmth literally flows through the first and second floors of Nirmala Towers in this startup hub of India.

Our bespoke-ly cool HQ in all its glory!

A warmth so striking, it makes you get up in the morning and look forward to hit the floor.

A warmth so striking, it really gives you a sense of belonging within the team. A team which constantly encourages you to become a better version of yourself.

A team which has your back and looks out for you.

Teams that work hard together, party harder together. Viva la Goa!

And that’s why Hiver has a long, exciting and fascinating journey ahead.

Can’t wait to see what’s in store.

(Want to join the gang? Hit us at jobs@hiverhq.com)

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Jeevan Radhakrishna
Inside the Hive

“Words are, in my not so humble opinion, our most inexhaustible source of magic, capable of both inflicting injury and remedying it.”-A bearded magical man.