The GiveForward Culture Deck: Mission, Vision, Values.

1. THE
GIVEFORWARD
CULTURE
DECK

2. SO
WHAT
IS
CULTURE?

3.
CULTURE
≠
PING
PONG
LET’S
START
OFF
WITH
WHAT
IT’S
NOT

4.
CULTURE
=
LIVING
YOUR
MISSION
VISION
VALUES

5. WHY
DOES
CULTURE
MATTER?

6. AN
INSPIRED
AND
PASSIONATE
TEAM
IS
THE
GREATEST
COMPETITIVE
ADVANTAGE
A
STARTUP
CAN
EVER
HAVE.

7.
GREAT
CULTURE
ATTRACTS
INSPIRED
AND
PASSIONATE
PEOPLE.

8. INSPIRED
TEAM
=
INSPIRED
PRODUCT
=
INSPIRED
CUSTOMERS
=
WIN

9. THE
GIVEFORWARD
CULTURE
CHEAT
SHEET
MISSION:
EMPOWER
COMPASSION
VISION:
BE
THE
FIRST
PLACE
PEOPLE
TURN
WHEN
A
LOVED
ONE
IS
GOING
THROUGH
SOMETHING
DIFFICULT
VALUES:
1.
CULTIVATE
THROUGH
COMPASSION
2.
TAKE
FUN
SERIOUSLY
3.
AUTHENTICITY
IS
KING
4.
BE
THE
CEO
OF
YOUR
POSITION
5.
BE
FIRST
MANTRA:
CREATE
UNEXPECTED
JOY

10. GIVEFORWARD’S
MISSION:
EMPOWER
COMPASSION

11. “PEOPLE
DON’T
BUY
WHAT
YOU
DO,
THEY
BUY
WHY
YOU
DO
IT.”
-­‐
Simon
Sinek

12. THE
MISSION
IS
WHY
WE
ARE
ALL
HERE.
IT’S
WHAT
DRIVES
US
TO
GET
OUT
OF
BED
EVERY
MORNING.

13. OUR
MISSION
IS
BASED
ON
TWO
UNDERLYING
PREMISES.
WE
BELIEVE:
1. NO
ONE
SHOULD
HAVE
TO
GO
THROUGH
A
DIFFICULT
TIME
ALONE
2. PEOPLE
WANT
TO
HELP
BUT
DON’T
KNOW
HOW
3.
EMPOWER
COMPASSION
MEANS
BRIDGING
THIS
GAP
At
our
core,
we
make
it
easy
for
people
to
give
and
receive
LOVE

14. BE
THE
FIRST
PLACE
PEOPLE
TURN
WHEN
A
LOVED
ONE
IS
GOING
THROUGH
SOMETHING
DIFFICULT
GIVEFORWARD’S
VISION:

15. HOW
ARE
THE
MISSION
AND
THE
VISION
RELATED?

16.
ACHIEVING
OUR
VISION
SIMPLY
MEANS
WE
EMPOWER
COMPASSION
AT
SCALE
*Scale,
on
a
tangible
level,
means
every
team
member
personally
knows
one
or
two
or
three
people
from
their
network
who
are
ac9vely
par9cipa9ng
in
GiveForward
communi9es
.
VISION
=
MISSION
x
SCALE

17. GIVEFORWARD’S
CORE
VALUES
1.
CULTIVATE
THROUGH
COMPASSION
2.
TAKE
FUN
SERIOUSLY
3.
AUTHENTICITY
IS
KING
4.
BE
THE
CEO
OF
YOUR
POSITION
5.
BE
FIRST

18. HOW
ARE
OUR
VALUES
AND
VISION
RELATED?

19. ACHIEVING OUR VISION IS THE
END GOAL. OUR VALUES ARE
THE SWIM LANES THAT KEEP
US ON TRACK.

20. “VALUES MATTER. A LOT. IN A
HYPERCOMPETITIVE WORLD
WHERE TECHNOLOGY EATS AT
EVERY ADVANTAGE YOU HAVE
OVER TIME IT IS GOOD TO HAVE
UNIQUE AND DISTINCT VALUES
THAT YOU LIVE AS A COMPANY.
IT MATTERS AND IS AT THE
CORE OF BUILDING GREAT
COMPANIES.”
- Fred Wilson, Union Square Ventures

21.
CULTIVATE
THROUGH
COMPASSION
VALUE
#1:

22. NONE
OF
US
AT
GIVEFORWARD
HAVE
THE
LUXURY
OF
BEING
THE
SMARTEST
PERSON
IN
THE
WORLD,
BUT
ALL
OF
US
CAN
STRIVE
TO
BECOME
THE
KINDEST
PERSON
IN
THE
WORLD.
WE
WILL
WIN
IF
WE
CONSISTENTLY
SURPRISE
PEOPLE
WITH
UNEXPECTED
GIFTS
OF
HUMOR,
COMPASSION
AND
HUMANITY.
WE
WILL
WIN
BY
BEING
THE
MOST
HUMAN
AND
CREATING
A
USER
EXPERIENCE
THAT
FAR
EXCEEDS
EXPECTATIONS.
WE
WILL
WIN
BY
GIVING
OUT
MORE
HUGS
AND
HIGH
FIVES
THAN
ANYONE
ELSE.
WE
WILL
WIN
BY
BEING
THE
MOST
AUTHENTICALLY
COMPASSIONATE
AND
TREATING
EVERY
INTERACTION
WITH
A
USER
AS
AN
OPPORTUNITY
TO
MAKE
THAT
PERSON’S
DAY
JUST
A
TINY
BIT
BETTER.
WE
MAY
NOT
ALWAYS
OUTSMART
THE
COMPETITION
BUT
WE
MUST
ALWAYS
OUT-­‐CARE
THE
COMPETITION.

23. TAKE
FUN
SERIOUSLY
VALUE
#2

24. THERE
IS
MORE
TO
WORK
THAN
JUST
WORK.
WORK
MUST
BE
FUN.
IF
YOU
ARE
NOT
HAVING
FUN
AT
WORK,
YOU
SHOULD
QUIT
AND
FIND
HAPPINESS
ELSEWHERE.
LIFE
IS
FAR
TOO
SHORT
TO
NOT
SPEND
YOUR
DAYS
LAUGHING.
A
GIVEFORWARD
POEM
(OF
SORTS)
hugs,
high-­‐fives,
and
posicve
vibes
float
trips
and
boat
trips
-­‐-­‐
the
cmes
we
all
imbibe
One
Direccon
desk
wraps,
the
93-­‐inch
bear
camp
songs,
magic
fire
dust,
ghost
stories
that
we
share
white
elephants,
pink
elephants,
Giveasaurus
Rex,
recharge
days,
Coachtopia,
“breathing”,
“elder
sex”
Carebears
and
Smurfs,
Fraggles,
and
Muppets
cat
facts,
Barbacobras,
ice
water
challenges
in
buckets
ugly
sweater
pub
crawls,
zombies,
Chinese
food
squaiy
poiy
demos
of
how
unicorns
go
poo
4
Loko,
for
Lokey,
ride
or
die
Ghost
pepper
pushup
contest,
Wolfman
in
the
sky
Flowdock,
Fauxdock,
Avengers
and
more
Once
you’re
GF
family,
you’re
GiveForward
to
the
core
RIP
Paul
Walker.
If
you
are
not
familiar
with
any
of
the
above,
please
consult
Markipedia

25. Weirdo
extraordinaire
AUTHENTICITY
IS
KING
(VALUE
#3)

26. EVERY
SINGLE
ACTION
WE
TAKE
AT
GIVEFORWARD
MUST
BE
AUTHENTIC.
WE
BELIEVE
THAT
GENIUS
COMES
FROM
BEING
ONE’S
SELF.
IT
IS
ONLY
WHEN
PEOPLE
TRY
TO
FIT
IN
THAT
THEIR
BRILLIANCE
BECOMES
HIDDEN.
WE
VALUE
INDIVIDUALISM
AND
OPEN-­‐MINDEDNESS
AND
ENCOURAGE
ALL
GIVEFORWARD
TEAM
MEMBERS
TO
LET
THEIR
PERSONALITIES
SHINE
THROUGH.
THIS
IS
WHEN
BRILLIANCE
HAPPENS.

27. “BE
YOURSELF.
EVERYONE
ELSE
IS
ALREADY
TAKEN.”
-­‐
OSCAR
WILDE

28. IT’S
BETTER
TO
HAVE
TEN
TRUE
FANS
THAN
ONE
THOUSAND
PEOPLE
WHO
HAVE
USED
YOUR
PRODUCT
AND
ARE
AMBIVILENT.
BE
YOUR
WEIRD
SELF.
CREATE
A
WEIRD
PRODUCT.
THE
WEIRDOS
WILL
FALL
IN
LOVE
WITH
IT
AND
TELL
THEIR
WEIRD
FRIENDS
ABOUT
IT.
AUTHENTICITY
BREEDS
PASSION.
CONFORMITY
IS
DEATH.
WEIRD
=
GOOD

29. BE
THE
CEO
OF
YOUR
POSITION
VALUE
#
4

30.
ASK
FOR
FORGIVENESS,
NOT
FOR
PERMISSION.
BY
FAR
OUR
BIGGEST
ASSET
AT
GIVEFORWARD
IS
OUR
PEOPLE.
BUT
WE
CAN
ONLY
OPERATE
AT
OPTIMAL
CAPACITY
IF
EVERYONE
IS
EMPOWERED
TO
USE
THEIR
BRAINS.
EVERYONE
AT
THE
COMPANY
IS
EXPECTED
TO
OWN
THEIR
POSITION,
BE
A
DECISION
MAKER
AND
TAKE
RISKS.
WE
WILL
NEVER
PENALIZE
ANYONE
FOR
TAKING
A
RISK
AND
FAILING.
WE
WILL
ONLY
PENALIZE
PEOPLE
FOR
NOT
TAKING
ENOUGH
RISKS
OR
NOT
TAKING
ENOUGH
ACTION.

31. IDEAS
COME
FROM
EVERYWHERE.
NOT
JUST
FROM
THE
TOP.
SPEAK
UP.
NO
ONE’S
IDEAS
ARE
MORE
IMPORTANT
THAN
ANYONE
ELSE’S.
IDEAS
ARE
GOOD
BUT
ACTION
>
IDEAS.
IT’S
EVERYONES
JOB
TO
TAKE
THE
TRASH
OUT.

32. QUESTION
AUTHORITY.
ALWAYS.
IF
YOU
DON’T
UNDERSTAND
WHY
WE
ARE
DOING
SOMETHING
ASK
WHY
WE
ARE
DOING
IT.
NEVER
DO
SOMETHING
JUST
BECAUSE
SOMEONE
TOLD
YOU
TO
DO
IT.
UNDERSTAND
WHY
WE
ARE
DOING
IT
AND
HOW
IT
RELATES
TO
A
BIGGER
GOAL.

33.
THIS
IS
YOUR
COMPANY.
WHAT
DO
YOU
WANT
IT
TO
LOOK
LIKE?
READY.
SET.
GO.

34. BE
FIRST.
Am
I
living
in
my
comfort
zone
at
basecamp
or
am
I
pushing
myself
to
my
limits?
VALUE
#5

35. BE
FIRST
MEANS
BEING
THE
BEST
IN
THE
WORLD
AND
DOING
EVERYTHING*
IT
TAKES
TO
GET
THERE.
BE
THE
FIRST
TO
STEP
UP
TO
A
CHALLENGE
BE
THE
FIRST
TO
TAKE
THE
HARDEST
CARD
BE
THE
FIRST
TO
GET
THROUGH
THE
MOST
DIFFICULT
CUSTOMER
EMAIL
BE
THE
FIRST
TO
SAY
“I
WILL
WHEN
EVERYONE
ELSE
IS
SAYING
“WE
SHOULD”
*
Well
nothing
illegal
or
out
of
alignment
with
our
values

36. VISION
=
THE
SUMMIT
Q:
What
is
the
rela9onship
between
our
vision
and
the
value,
BE
FIRST?
A:
Our
vision
is
the
summit,
the
goal
we
are
trying
to
reach.
BE
FIRST
is
a
mindset
of
doing
everything
it
takes
to
reach
the
summit

37. BE
FIRST
IS…
ITERATING
A
FEATURE
THE
EXTRA
TWO
TIMES
IT
TAKES
TO
GO
FROM
GOOD
TO
GREAT
NOT
SETTLING
FOR
ANYTHING
LESS
THAN
REFRIGERATOR
QUALITY
WORK
MAKING
THE
EXTRA
MORTGAGE
PAYMENT

38.
BE
FIRST
IS
NOT…
FINISHING
NEXT
WEEK
WHAT
WE
COULD
FINISH
TODAY
COMPLACENCY
SETTLING
2ND
PLACE

39.
BE
FIRST
is
about
being
a
VISION
Driven
Company

40. EVERYTHING
IN
LIFE
IS
MORE
FUN
WHEN
YOU’RE
WINNING.
BE
FIRST

41. The
Vision
Driven
Horse

42. GIVEFORWARD’S
MANTRA:

43. HEAD
ASPLODES!
WE’VE
GOT
MISSION,
VISION,
VALUES
AND
NOW
A
MANTRA?
WHAT
THE
SHIT
IS
A
MANTRA?
OUR
MANTRA
IS
OUR
SECRET
SAUCE.
CREATE
UNEXPECTED
JOY
(CUJ)
IS
AN
AMALGAMATION
OF
OUR
FIRST
THREE
CORE
VALUES:
CULTIVATE
THROUGH
COMPASSION
+TAKE
FUN
SERIOUSLY
+
AUTHENTICITY
IS
KING
ALL
ROLLED
UP
INTO
A
SINGLE
ACTION
THAT
UNLEASHES
UNIMAGINABLE
AMOUNTS
OF
BUENONESS
INTO
THE
UNIVERSE.
BUT
CUJ
IS
MUCH
MORE
THAN
JUST
THE
SUM
OF
ITS
PARTS.
THESE
THREE
WORDS
REPRESENT
EVERYTHING
THAT
IS
GIVEFORWARD
–
CUJ
IS
THE
WAY
WE
CHOOSE
TO
TREAT
EACHOTHER,
THE
WAY
WE
TREAT
STRANGERS,
THE
WAY
WE
LIVE
OUR
LIVES
INSIDE
AND
OUTSIDE
THE
OFFICE.
CUJ
IS
AN
ETHOS.

44. THERE
ARE
TWO
LAYERS
TO
CUJ.
THE
BASE
LAYER
AND
THE
FROSTING
LAYER.
FIRST,
THE
BASE
LAYER:
VERY
OFTEN,
PEOPLE
DON’T
KNOW
HOW
MUCH
THEIR
FRIENDS
AND
FAMILY
CARE
ABOUT
THEM
UNTIL
SOMETHING
BAD
HAPPENS.
THEN
THEIR
FRIENDS
START
A
GIVEFORWARD
PAGE
ON
THEIR
BEHALF
AND
ALL
THESE
PEOPLE
COME
OUT
OF
THE
WOODWORK
TO
LET
THEM
KNOW
THAT
THEY’RE
NOT
ALONE.
IT’S
LIKE
A
TIDAL
WAVE
OF
LOVE
HITS
THIS
INDIVIDUAL
AND
KNOCKS
THE
WIND
OUT
OF
THEM
(IN
THE
BEST
WAY
POSSIBLE).
THE
GIVEFORWARD
PAGE
ITSELF
ACTS
AS
THE
CATALYST
FOR
UNEXPECTED
JOY.
THIS
VIDEO
IS
A
GOOD
EXAMPLE:
hips://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIsj2W1XZf8

45. CUJ:
THE
FROSTING
LAYER:
THE
FROSTING
LAYER
IS
THE
FROSTING
LAYER
BECAUSE
IT’S
THE
ICING
ON
THE
CAKE.
WHEREAS
WITH
THE
BASE
LAYER,
THE
CONCEPT
OF
CUJ
IS
BUILT
INTO
THE
PRODUCT,
WITH
THE
FROSTING
LAYER,
IT
IS
THE
WONDERFUL,
AMAZING
HUMANS
OF
GIVEFORWARD
WHO
ARE
GOING
ABOVE
AND
BEYOND
TO
CREATE
UNEXPECTED
JOY
FOR
OTHERS.
THIS
VIDEO
IS
A
GOOD
EXAMPLE:
hips://vimeo.com/70880664

46. BETWEEN
MANTRAS,
MISSIONS
VISIONS
AND
VALUES
THIS
WAS
A
LOT
TO
TAKE
IN.
CAN
YOU
JUST
TELL
ME
WHAT’S
THE
MOST
IMPORTANT
PART
OF
GIVEFORWARD
CULTURE?

47.
SURE.
BY
FAR
THE
MOST
IMPORTANT
PART
OF
GF
CULTURE
IS
LIVING
IT.
IF
THERE
IS
ONE
THING
TO
TAKE
AWAY
FROM
THIS
DECK
IT’S
THAT
NOTHING
ELSE
MATTERS
IF
WE
DON’T
WALK
THE
WALK.

48. “IF
YOU
BELIEVE
IN
YOUR
VALUES
YOU
MUST
MAKE
THEM
PERVASIVE.”
-­‐
RAND
FISHKEN,
WELL
GROOMED,
FLOATING
HEAD