YC

Y Combinator Cast

04/06/17

@ Y Combinator

Culture is crucial for scaling your business and team effectively.

YC

Y Combinator Cast

04/06/17

@ Y Combinator

Understanding what culture is and why it matters helps in creating core values that foster a high-performance team.

YC

Y Combinator Cast

04/06/17

@ Y Combinator

Your beliefs shape your actions, and without a strong culture, you can't pursue your company's destiny.

YC

Y Combinator Cast

04/06/17

@ Y Combinator

A strong company culture provides stability, aligns people on shared values, and helps retain the right employees.

YC

Y Combinator Cast

04/06/17

@ Y Combinator

Companies that treat their employees well and have a strong culture tend to outperform others in the stock market.

YC

Y Combinator Cast

04/06/17

@ Y Combinator

To create a strong culture, start with the founder's personal values and the types of people they want to work with.

YC

Y Combinator Cast

04/06/17

@ Y Combinator

Core values should support your company's mission and be credible and uniquely tied to it.

YC

Y Combinator Cast

04/06/17

@ Y Combinator

Zappos' first core value was to deliver 'Wow' through service, emphasizing the importance of customer experience.

BC

Brian Chesky

04/06/17

@ Y Combinator

Building a great company requires a talented team that challenges you to raise your game.

BC

Brian Chesky

04/06/17

@ Y Combinator

In the early days, we worked like a family, sharing a mission and holding each other accountable.

BC

Brian Chesky

04/06/17

@ Y Combinator

A company's culture should be intentionally designed and nurtured to endure over time.

BC

Brian Chesky

04/06/17

@ Y Combinator

Core values should be unique to your company and reflect what differentiates you from others.

BC

Brian Chesky

04/06/17

@ Y Combinator

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.

BC

Brian Chesky

04/06/17

@ Y Combinator

Hiring our first engineer was crucial; I felt like bringing in that person was like introducing DNA to our company.

BC

Brian Chesky

04/06/17

@ Y Combinator

We want to hire people who are here for our mission, not just for the valuation or office design.

BC

Brian Chesky

04/06/17

@ Y Combinator

Our mission is to help bring the world together by giving a sense of belonging anywhere you go.

BC

Brian Chesky

04/06/17

@ Y Combinator

I used to ask candidates if they would take the job if they had only ten years left to live, to gauge their passion for the work.

BC

Brian Chesky

04/06/17

@ Y Combinator

We want to hire people who are looking for a calling, not just a job.

BC

Brian Chesky

04/06/17

@ Y Combinator

Culture is often overlooked, but it’s essential for long-term success; it doesn’t pay off in the short term.

BC

Brian Chesky

04/06/17

@ Y Combinator

You need to be clear about what makes your company unique and hire people who believe in that.

BC

Brian Chesky

04/06/17

@ Y Combinator

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

BC

Brian Chesky

04/06/17

@ Y Combinator

We chose not to acquire a competitor because I didn't like their culture; I believed our mission-driven approach would outlast their profit-driven one.

BC

Brian Chesky

04/06/17

@ Y Combinator

A strong culture leads to passionate employees, which in turn creates a strong brand that customers resonate with. Zappos has a strong brand and culture that emphasizes the importance of company culture.

BC

Brian Chesky

04/06/17

@ Y Combinator

Google places a high value on its unique culture, assessing if candidates fit by asking if they are 'googly'.

BC

Brian Chesky

04/06/17

@ Y Combinator

There is no such thing as a good or bad culture; cultures can only be strong or weak, and what works for one company may not work for another.

BC

Brian Chesky

04/06/17

@ Y Combinator

A strong brand is crucial as it connects you with your customers, and a strong culture will naturally enhance your brand.

BC

Brian Chesky

04/06/17

@ Y Combinator

Apple's success is attributed to its focus on core values rather than just product specifications, as demonstrated in the 'Think Different' campaign.

BC

Brian Chesky

04/06/17

@ Y Combinator

In the early days, Airbnb marketed itself as a cheap alternative to hotels, but later shifted to a tagline that emphasized a more human travel experience.

BC

Brian Chesky

04/06/17

@ Y Combinator

To communicate your company's culture and values effectively, you must articulate them consistently across all interactions, from hiring to public relations.

BC

Brian Chesky

04/06/17

@ Y Combinator

Airbnb's early communication focused on utility, but they learned that hosts must align with the company's values to create a strong culture.

BC

Brian Chesky

04/06/17

@ Y Combinator

Airbnb now has a 'super host' program to ensure hosts demonstrate the company's values, reinforcing the culture.

BC

Brian Chesky

04/06/17

@ Y Combinator

The best advice I received was from Paul Graham, who said it's better to have a hundred passionate customers than a million indifferent ones.

BC

Brian Chesky

04/06/17

@ Y Combinator

Building a strong relationship with your first hundred customers can lead to organic growth as they share their passion with others.

BC

Brian Chesky

04/06/17

@ Y Combinator

To scale effectively, focus on creating an exceptional experience for one customer at a time before expanding to a larger audience.

BC

Brian Chesky

04/06/17

@ Y Combinator

Airbnb's photography service started from a personal experience where they realized better photos could enhance listings, leading to a successful on-demand photography network.

BC

Brian Chesky

04/06/17

@ Y Combinator

Airbnb operates as a technology company, facing challenges like international regulations, safety, and trust, while also needing to provide a world-class user experience.

BC

Brian Chesky

04/06/17

@ Y Combinator

Great companies excel in multiple areas, including technology, branding, and culture, and should not be viewed solely as marketing companies.

Culture with Brian Chesky and Alfred Lin (How to Start a Startup 2014: Lecture 10)

Takeaways