We sat down and tried to define the culture at Trak.io - the guiding principles and values that would ensure our company becomes the company we want to work for every day. As founders, we have the unique opportunity to set the tone and foundation at the very beginning. A philosophy and blueprint that informs all hiring, and firing, decisions from here out. We want this to be aspirational, while at the same time, embodying what's important to us. The identity of our company is an extension of our own identity, not a regurgitation of best practices from other startups. I hope other founders and CEO's will add comment, we've iterated on this internally quite a lot, and I expect (and hope!) we iterate on this a lot more as we grow and learn.

1. Trak.io Culture
Innovation & People
THIS DECK IS ALWAYS EVOLVING
THIS IS VERSION 8

2. What Is Culture To Us?
•
Culture at Trak.io is a “default” way to act whenever you’re unsure
how to approach a situation
•
It’s the unbending and never compromised foundation of all
hiring, and firing, decisions
•
Culture allow us to shape a company that we feel happy working in
every day, allowing us to work smarter not harder
•
Our culture is always evolving to become a better philosophy, a
better blueprint to a better company
•
Our culture should never become the “average of all our current
employees” - hiring mistakes happen

3. If you like what you see in this deck, we’re constantly hiring great
Ruby on Rails developers and Dev Ops Engineers
(London or remote within UK)
!
Email liam@trak.io and say hello!

4. Our Guiding Principles

5. 7 Principles To Guide Culture
•
Innovate 1% at a time
•
Be aspirational without compromise
•
Have the courage to capitalise on freedom
•
Practice self discipline
•
Default to transparency
•
Take responsibility
•
Empathise

6. Reduces To 2 Core Values
•
Innovate 1% at a time
INNOVATION
•
Be aspirational without compromise
INNOVATION
•
Have the courage to capitalise on freedom
INNOVATION
•
Practice self discipline
PEOPLE
•
Default to transparency
PEOPLE
•
Take responsibility
PEOPLE
•
Empathise
PEOPLE

7. Gives us
of purpose
ing sense
an amaz
Innovation & People
zing people
s us the ama
Give
at purpose
to ach ieve th
required

8. INNOVATION
Innovate 1% at a time

9. INNOVATION
•
The product belongs to the customer, not to our R&D team. Our
team shouldn’t hold onto a product update because of their
vanity, ego or desire to launch it at their convenience
•
When we take small steps, its easier to change direction
•
Never get comfortable, we can always improve 1% more
•
Innovate with conviction and confidence, but never with blind
arrogance
•
Rely on self discipline to ask yourself “Could the customer be
enjoying value from the parts I have already created?”

10. INNOVATION
Be Aspirational Without Compromise

11. INNOVATION
•
We execute in small steps, but dream in marathons. Always point
your compass to a bigger, better, happier destination
•
Money, people, geography, opinion. These are just challenges to
overcome, not limitations on your creativity
•
Always question how this could be bigger or benefit more people
•
Always ignore negativity, but be open-minded and respectful to
informed warnings and educated feedback

12. INNOVATION
Have The Courage To Capitalise On
Freedom

13. •
We provide total freedom in everything, this is a luxury which
needs to be enjoyed to be worthwhile
•
Have the courage to experiment within this freedom and make the
most of it, don’t rely on others to be “the crazy creative ones”
•
Take responsibility and discipline to recognise good, and bad
experiments and use the results to inform future decisions
•
Celebrate the failures of others and support them emotionally and
practically
•
Always be mindful of becoming a deterrent to experimentation,
with both your comments and actions, towards your colleagues
•
Never wait to be told to practice self improvement (books, courses,
seminars) and always aim to become more valuable to our purpose

14. PEOPLE
Practice Self Discipline

15. PEOPLE
•
Never wait, or expect, to be told when something isn’t great.
Manage yourself so others don’t have to
•
Create your own ideal environment, schedule, strategy
•
Maintain your own sense of purpose, and talk to someone when
you feel yourself losing it - before it starts to affect your happiness
and productivity
•
Always iterate on personal productivity tactics

16. PEOPLE
Default To Transparency

17. PEOPLE
•
Share everything, good and bad, internally and externally (when
legally possible) because:
•
It could bring value to someone else’s work
•
Other people might be able to help you
•
The unknown is usually worrying and stressful
•
It allows people to share in the common purpose
•
Take pride when sharing good news and maximise on it’s potential
to create happiness
•
Take responsibility, and realise the significance, when sharing bad
news

18. PEOPLE
Take Responsibility

19. PEOPLE
•
Own mistakes, you’re pretty much always the most qualified to
correct them and implement strategies to avoid them repeating
•
Over-delegation creates an environment of all talk and no action.
If you’re able to, just get it done and move on
•
In contrast, be mindful of your own efficiencies: when you need to
delegate, embrace that you’re still responsible for it’s success or
failure

20. PEOPLE
Empathise

21. PEOPLE
•
Try to understand colleagues as people and go beyond their
professional identity. Family, finance, hobbies, desires, passions…
we’re complicated people and our professional work is only a
fraction of what’s fighting for attention in our minds. Never
compromise on your expectance of excellence, but support each
other in achieving it
•
Understand the customer, the things frustrating them, what
happens in their day, week, month after using our product, after
speaking with you, reading our marketing. Who are they? What’s
making them happy, what’s making their life less enjoyable?
Always aim to make their life happier
•
Vendors and partners are companies, teams & people exactly like
us. Treat them as you would a fellow colleague: with compassion
and kindness, but an expectation of excellence

22. This Company Is Built On Innovation &
People. You Have A Great Opportunity and
Responsibility To Deliver On Those Values

23. This deck is always evolving. For more detail and context, speak
to the founders:
@liamgooding and @msaspence