Culture and values represent the underlying fabric of any organisation. Despite this foundational role, culture and values are rarely prioritised by founders early on because they’re difficult to define, can be seen as transitory and the effect on the bottom line is indirect - especially at the seed stage. However, many founders emphasise the NO TION T importance of defining culture and values early on, before scaling the team and before culture is ALENT A S created on its own. SES SMENT One thing is certain: a culture will always form. The challenge for founders is being able to take on, drive and define that process and the eventual outcome. Research from Harvard Business School has shown that by actively managing culture, organisations are more likely to deliver on their strategic objectives in the long run. 9