When it comes to building a business, one of the most frequently overlooked elements is fostering a positive company culture.

For startups big and small, company culture is an element of the business that affects everything from the employees you hire and customers you attract to the business’ branding and vision for the future. Last Wednesday as part of Kansas City’s Global Entrepreneurship Week events, The Entrepreneurial Leadership Project at MNU hosted a session about how to build company culture from day one of your business.

For anyone who didn’t attend, SPN asked The Entrepreneurial Leadership Project associate director Mindy Hart to share a few reasons why building company culture is so important and offer some tips for fostering good culture as you build your company.

3 reasons why your culture is important

1. Your culture informs everything you do as a business owner, from branding to interacting with customers. “I think people get caught up in the minutia of starting a business and view culture as an HR responsibility instead of incorporating the vision of the founding members.”
2. Focusing on culture forces you to make sure your values and goals are in line with the way you’re building a business. Hart says it’s exceedingly important to be deliberate and intentional when it comes to setting up company cultural practices. At the same time, focusing on the elements that are most important will force you to see problem areas in your business plan.
3. Culture dictates your ability to hire employees who are both skilled and have beliefs in line with your company’s vision. “I think it’s really important at the very onset to be clear about your vision and what’s important to you. If you don’t even know how to identify your culture as a business owner, how are you going to begin to hire the right people?”

3 ways to create good culture

1. Make sure your business plan reflects your personal goals and values. “Start with your personal vision—your value system, morals, goals and objectives. Be sure your business development incorporates all of those things because you’re building your company culture from the day you open your business.”
2. Be aware of generational differences and preferences. Hart notes that oftentimes Baby Boomers are more focused on a traditional 9-to-5 workday in an office environment, while millennials are more likely to embrace flexible hours and virtual officing. While both options are certainly feasible, it’s important to determine what best suites your company’s culture and set expectations accordingly.
3. Don’t be afraid to utilize other tools. Recently Hart says she used a tool called the Culture Index to determine what skill sets were her strongest and which she utilized most at work. By utilizing outside tools and personality tests, it’s easier to determine if someone is a fit within your organization’s established culture. “It was really eye-opening for me that when I’m in a work setting, I tend to downplay my biggest skill set. So I started to think about why I do that and what that means for our culture.”