We have core values interviewers who focus on cultural fit, separate from functional interviewers, to ensure alignment with our values.

We have a core values council that advises on maintaining our culture and values, ensuring alignment across the company.

Company culture is vital for long-term success, even if it doesn't seem like an immediate risk. As The Muse grew from 12 to over 80 employees, I realized that establishing core values and ensuring alignment during hiring is essential for maintaining a strong culture. The culture screen of asking if you'd want to get a beer with someone can overlook incredible candidates who are different from you.

Core values should be unique to your company and serve as a hiring framework, guiding the recruitment process when you can no longer interview every candidate personally. At Homejoy, nobody is above any job, which means I seek people who respect others regardless of their roles, from contractors to engineers.

Regularly assess your hiring process and the cultural fit of new employees to ensure alignment with your company's values.

The core pieces of culture that are most important in building out a company include who you hire and their values, the daily activities and their purpose, what you choose to communicate, and what you celebrate or punish.

You need to operationalize and reinforce your values and behaviors by screening for them in your hiring process to ensure alignment with your mission.

Zappos learned the importance of defining core values early on, rather than waiting until the company grew larger. We wrote our core values down before hiring anyone, which took about six to seven months to finalize.

Aligning on core values is crucial for successful relationships, as values dictate the tough decisions we face together.