Best of Build Mode: Company Culture by Design, Not Default

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This week on Build Mode, we’re diving back into the archives for a special best-of episode all about company culture. Host Isabelle Johannesen and producer Maggie Nye revisit some of the most insightful conversations from past seasons to explore how founders intentionally shape culture from day one and why the habits, values, and decisions of leadership have an outsized impact as companies scale. Guests share lessons on hiring for culture, developing strong leaders, building diverse teams, navigating layoffs with empathy, and creating workplaces where people can do their best work. From early-stage startups to high-growth companies, these founders reveal what they've learned about building cultures that last. In this episode, you'll hear from: Ian Schmidt, partner & consultant at Trimergence Hala Jawani, cofounder & CEO of Rivio Ayal Yogev, cofounder & CEO of Anjuna Leah Solivan, founder of TaskRabbit and founder of Precedent VC Jasper Carmichael-Jack, cofounder & CEO of Artisan Chapters: 00:00 Intro 01:22 Ian Schmidt (Trimergence): Why founders should invest in leadership and culture early 03:55 Hala Jawani (Riveo): Hiring leaders who can scale culture 05:22 Eyal Yogev (Anjuna): Why culture is built through a thousand small decisions 08:51 Leah Solivan (TaskRabbit / Precedent VC): Building diverse teams from day one 13:15 Jasper Carmichael-Jack (Artisan): How AI could reshape workplace culture 15:45 Outro