Beyond Perks and Paychecks: Building a Culture That Can’t Be Copied

0:01When we talk about culture, it's the businesses that endure and inspire. They're not built on perks or policies, they're built on culture.

0:12Jeannette:So good morning everyone, I am here today to talk about a really interesting topic. So Jeannette Linfoot here, host of Brave Bold Brilliant. But let's start with a question. What truly makes a company irresistible to work for, buy from and partner with? So is it the perks? Is it the free lattes? Is it the comfy beanbags in the corner of the office? Well, here's the truth. All of those things can be copied by your competitors. You know, they can raise salaries, they can offer the same benefits, they can even mimic your product. but what they cannot replicate is your culture. And culture is so much more than a perk or a policy.

0:57Jeannette:It's often what makes or breaks an organisation. So today we're going to dive into one of the most overlooked, misunderstood, yet most powerful business assets, and that is culture. And I'm going to show you why culture is the invisible engine behind every great company, how to consciously shape it and why it may be the most important competitive advantage that you'll ever build. So before we dive in, just let us know what you're thinking. Type into the chat or send us an email. You know, if you had to describe your company culture in just three words, what would they be? And be honest, you know, culture isn't what you write in a handbook.

1:39Jeannette:It's what you live and breathe every single day. So also what I would say, if we are not connected on social media, let's get connected. So you're going to find Brave Bold Brilliant, our business pages all over social media and also my personal profile, which you'll find Jeanette Linfoot with two N's and two T's all over. But connect with us there, but also check out our website, www.brave-bold-brilliant.com because on there, when you go into the Learning Hub, you join our community of like-minded people, you're going to get access to loads of amazing business advice, assets, downloadable guides that you can actually use and put into place in your job, in your business, whatever you are actually working on today.

2:26Jeannette:So let's make sure we get connected. But let's get into the first part of this. Why culture is the absolute most powerful competitive advantage. So here's the thing, culture, it isn't about ping pong tables, unlimited snacks or casual Fridays, although all of those are great. Culture really is the unwritten set of values, behaviours and norms that shape every decision, every interaction and every customer experience. And when culture is strong, your teams are aligned, they're motivated, they're inspired. But when the culture is weak, even the most talented employees feel disengaged. You know, innovation slows down.

3:13Jeannette:Customers can sense that something isn't quite right. You know, and here's the kicker. Products can be copied, but culture cannot be copied. And that's why the world's most successful leaders treat culture as a business strategy, not an answer to all. So think about, you know, a competitor can copy your software, your pricing, you know, your marketing campaign, but they can't copy, you know, the way your people collaborate, the way your team rallies in a crisis, or the sense of belonging you create for your customers. So let's just take a bit of time to reflect. I love writing things down, so I'm going to one thing about your organization that reflects your true culture you know is it how you welcome new employees how you treat clients how you handle setbacks you know share it actually here in social media share it in the chat drop us an email and you'll be surprised what shows up for you so second part of what i want to cover now is how strong culture builds strong companies So what does culture actually do for a business?

4:26Jeannette:Let's break it down. Well, the first one is it drives retention. Now, people don't just work for money. They work for meaning. And a strong culture dramatically reduces turnover and keeps that top talent loyal to your business. Secondly, inspires innovation. You know, in cultures where ideas are welcome, people feel safe to experiment, challenge assumptions and innovate boldly. you know that innovation comes through. Thirdly it builds trust. You know culture sets the tone for how promises are kept both internally and externally and trust actually becomes your most valuable currency. And then fourthly sustains growth.

5:08Jeannette:You know markets change, systems evolve, products age but culture ensures your DNA remains strong and intact through every stage of growth. And the fifth point is it differentiates you. As I say, competitors can undercut your price, but they can't replicate the essence of your culture. So that really is your unfair advantage. So ask yourself, which of these benefits resonates the most with you right now? Is it retention? Is it innovation? Is it trust, growth or differentiation? Leave us a comment, put it in the chat if you're watching this live on social media or send us a message. Let's see where you as a community are really at.

5:52Jeannette:Now, it's always helpful, isn't it, to share real stories of culture and strategy. You know, so I wanted to just take a look at a couple of examples of culture in action. But, you know, so in the UK, there's a UK based creative agency that scaled from five employees to over 100. Now, their secret, it wasn't the fancy perks. It was a culture of radical transparency. Everyone had access to financials, strategy decisions and even client feedback. And this openness, it built trust so deeply that employees didn't just stay. They became the agency's biggest advocates. Excuse me. Secondly, there's a story of a black female tech founder.

6:35Jeannette:And she built her startup on the principle that failure equals learning. And in her culture, mistakes weren't punished. They were celebrated. And what was the result? Well, it was a fearless, innovative team that outpaced competitors by launching products quicker, testing faster and daring to go where others hesitated. And then we've got a global fashion brand that leaned on culture to survive crisis. You know, when their supply chains actually broke down, their culture of collaboration and empowerment meant employees took initiative. They found creative workarounds and they kept the business alive.

7:10Jeannette:You know, whereas competitors who lack that cultural backbone, they crumbled under that pressure. You know, and I was actually fortunate enough to interview a fantastic business leader in the travel industry yesterday, a lady called Wendy Wu. She's the founder and chair of Wendy Wu Tours. Now, Wendy is a Chinese by natural heritage, but she's lived in the UK. She's lived in Australia. So in her business that she's built, it's around this passion for the customer and actually embracing the intersection of the Chinese and Asian culture with British culture, with the Australian culture. So, again, a really unique combination that Wendy Wu has created in that business.

7:55And actually, her interview on Brave Bar Brilliant is going to be coming out next Monday. So check out Wendy Wu's interview when it comes out, because again, we talk a lot about culture in that interview. So imagine your business is facing a major crisis tomorrow. Let's say you lost a client. The market might crash or you might have a sudden disruption.

8:18Jeannette:You know, would your culture help you adapt and thrive or would it leave your team scrambling? So I'd love to hear from you. Drop your thoughts in the chat if you're watching this on social media. Send us an email. Like I say, we are here at Brave Bold Brilliant here to support each other. We are building a fantastic community of business leaders, innovators, entrepreneurs so that we can share, support and grow together. So as I said, remember to go to www.brave-bold-brilliant.com, the website, because that's where you can sign up to our community. And honestly, I'm so proud of what we've built because in my 30 plus years in business, both running global organizations, but also with the businesses that I advise today, with the portfolio of businesses that I own with my husband, Chris, you know, culture has been so important, but also helping each other to grow and shape.

9:14Jeannette:And that's why I do the podcast. It's why we do sessions like these to really share those ideas. So get involved. Tell us what you're struggling with. Tell us what's working for you, because that's how we actually support each other. So let's get into the fourth part of this topic. How do you build a culture that can't be copied or is very difficult to copy? So I've got five powerful steps that every leader can implement. So grab that pen and paper, write them down. So the first one is you've got to define your core values clearly. We're not talking about vague words like integrity, but specific lived principles.

9:54Jeannette:So, for example, we move fast and we learn faster. OK, that could be one of your values. The second, we've got to lead by example. Now, remember that culture is shaped by actions, not speeches. So if leaders cut corners, teams will too. So you've got to lead from the top. You've got to lead from the front. So you need to be living and breathing those values as well yourself, because everyone is looking to you, to the leadership team as to how you are embracing and living and breathing the culture day in, day out. the third point hire and fire by culture fit now skills can be taught but values can't so when you're hiring someone you've got to protect your cultural dna by being selective will that person fit in will that person share our values and contribute and make our team stronger then the fourth one celebrate those small wins you know we're so in a hurry aren't we to move forward all the time onto the next thing onto the next thing but when you celebrate those small wins that recognition reinforces behavior and creates belonging which is so important and then the fifth point you've got to keep that culture alive during growth so when you scale up it can be quite tricky sometimes because scaling what has got you to this point won't necessarily get you to the next stage So as you scale, you know, you've got to deliberately onboard new hires into the culture.

11:29Jeannette:You know, don't assume that they'll just absorb it by being present or by accident. So take it very intentionally. Now, here's a little reflection exercise for you. And as I say, write it down. Of these five, which one do you most need to strengthen in your business today? Let us know where you are and which one is standing out that you need to actually work on. So let's talk about mindset shifts and how you create an unstoppable culture. So these are some of the shifts that you want to remember yourself when it comes to actually mindset and culture. So culture is not HR's job. It's everyone's job.

12:11The second point, culture is caught, not taught.

12:15Jeannette:So people learn it through daily actions, not policy manuals. The third shift in terms of mindset is that profit follows culture, not the other way around. And a strong culture attracts talent, investors and opportunities that you could never buy with just perks alone. So these aren't just nice to have. These are shifts that determine whether you'll be a business that lasts or one that just fizzles out once the perks wear thin. so there's a lot in this I appreciate I appreciate you've covered a lot but we always want to lead with value so you know let's turn it over to you you know what's one word that truly captures your current culture write it down discuss it with your team you know where do you feel the biggest gap lies between your stated values and your lived reality you know has it got a bit out of kilter and then most importantly what's one small action that you can take this week to strengthen culture in your team so as I say let us know where you are send us a question I'll be reading excuse me and responding to you so a few final thoughts just before we you know wrap up really and when we talk about culture it's the businesses that endure and inspire they're not built on perks or policies they're built on culture and I think we've really covered that very well today you know culture is the invisible glue that binds your team it's the compass you know that guides those decisions when no one is watching it's that magnet that draws in the right people and repels the wrong ones so you can copy strategy you can copy technology you can You copy even branding to a certain degree, but you can't copy culture.

14:07Jeannette:So if you want to future-proof your business, your team, your organisation, don't just invest in the obvious things, in the perks and the paychecks. Invest in the one thing that makes everything else possible, which is your culture. So, you know, I've absolutely loved chatting to you today. I hope you've enjoyed this episode and this, you know, social media live, if you're watching it live today. so you know this episode if it gave you a new lens on how culture drives business success please hit like leave us a comment and most importantly subscribe to brave bob brilliant not only our community via the website but also our youtube channel our podcast wherever you listen to them because it's by sharing this episode with you know someone else maybe a fellow founder or a business leader that you know who's building their team and needs to hear this and as always, you know, it is by being brave and bold that you are going to unlock your brilliant.

15:02Jeannette:So here's to next time. We'll see you soon. I really hope you've enjoyed this episode of Brave Bold Brilliant. Remember, check out our new website, www.brave-bold-brilliant.com. You're going to find loads of resources on there that's going to help you with your leadership journey and with the businesses that you're trying to scale up and grow. So take care, everyone and remember there are no limits to your growth but it is by being brave and bold that you're going to unlock your brilliance