Single Biggest Mistake Founders Make.

What is the single biggest mistake founders make that erodes a company’s value?

It is compromising on Culture.

Every time you cut corners on choosing to optimize time or economics against ethics, you erode value.

Whenever you see a crack in Culture and hope time will fix it, you erode value without proactively taking action.

Every time you add a team member who is an A+ performer but B on principles, you erode value.

You erode value if you believe that different levels of cultural conformity can be ascribed to different levels of seniority in the organization. Culture guides everyone at all groups and levels equally.

You erode value when you ignore communicating the company’s Culture and providing a rubric for people to hold themselves accountable towards the primordial virtues you want to exhibit.

Everything else is fixable if you have Cultural solidity. Nothing else is fixable if you have Cultural disharmony.

Culture is not a thing that can be excavated. Culture is the organizational spirit that needs to be cultivated without compromise.

While most founders are aware of this, under pressure, they give in.

Hold strong. People first.