{"id":21532,"date":"2022-12-01T08:45:37","date_gmt":"2022-12-01T16:45:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/foundersnetwork.com\/?p=21532"},"modified":"2026-03-25T16:01:10","modified_gmt":"2026-03-25T23:01:10","slug":"building-an-intentional-company-culture-with-rob-napoli","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/foundersnetwork.com\/building-an-intentional-company-culture-with-rob-napoli\/","title":{"rendered":"Building an Intentional Company Culture with Rob Napoli"},"content":{"rendered":"

Company culture expert <\/span>Rob Napoli<\/span><\/a> has a message for his fellow founders: if you don’t build an intentional culture, one will be built for you! And you likely won’t be happy.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Culture is central to the work Napoli does as a business strategist. The founder of Rise Up Coaching and Media, he\u2019s traveled the world teaching founders and teams how to create and market brands that drive positive change. Napoli\u2019s also the Amazon Bestselling author of The Social Soul: Mastering Your Personal and Professional Brand and Intentionality<\/a> and host of The Bear Necessities of Entrepreneurship<\/a> podcast.<\/span><\/p>\n

In coaching on company culture, Napoli is also teaching founders how to recruit talent of the next generation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMillennials and GenZ, now more than ever, want to be a part of an organization that lives out its values and makes an impact,\u201d he says.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

On Dec. 6, Napoli hosted a webinar<\/a> for <\/span>Founders Network<\/span><\/a> in which he provided how to build great teams and create intentional company culture.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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To learn more about recruiting and building culture,\u00a0see if you qualify for membership<\/a>\u00a0and check out the\u00a0<\/b>webinar<\/a><\/b> from December 6.<\/b><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Culture of One\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Company culture typically isn\u2019t something founders typically consider before they\u2019re in charge of a small team. But, in reality, building company culture starts on day one with the founder and what\u2019s important to them.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCulture of one is your values and beliefs. The way you go out and build your company, the way you go out and sell is exposing your core missions, beliefs and values,\u201d Napoli says.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Maybe that\u2019s as simple as \u201cI want to make money.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

If determining your values sounds like a daunting task, start with a few questions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSit down and say, what do I stand for? What do I believe in? What do I want to be impacting as the leader of a company?\u201d Napoli suggests.<\/span><\/p>\n

Culture also changes as a company grows. For example, in the beginning, a team might be so small and tight knit that the founder might invite everyone over for a holiday. But, with growth, that vibe changes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat you\u2019ll notice is, of those early employees, half will leave when you get too big, because they\u2019ll lose that family feel,\u201d he says.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Recruiting Young People\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

In less than three years, Millennial and GenZers will make up 70% of the workforce, says Napoli. At the same time, the average tenure of an employee is 12 to 18 months.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Napoli\u2019s work focuses on answering these questions: How do you maximize that time and attention? And, how do you get young people to buy into your company \u2013 especially at the beginning of a venture when cash flow is limited \u2013 and stay longer?<\/span><\/p>\n

His answer? A company culture based on compelling values.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When you\u2019re not able to pay young employees as much as you\u2019d like, give them the satisfaction of working for a company whose mission they identify with. That means asking their opinions early and providing a chance to make a positive impact.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s also incumbent upon founders to recruit people who live to work and for whom work is a passion, Napoli says.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In order to find them, \u201cGet really good at talking about the mission statement,\u201d he says. \u201cIf they feel bought in, they\u2019re more likely to stay at an organization.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Trending Toward Transparency\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

In late 2021, New York City Council passed a law that requires employers to provide pay ranges in job descriptions. That measure went into effect on Nov. 1.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It reflects one of the values important to young professionals: transparency.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

While this development may \u201chave a lot of founders freaking out,\u201d Napoli says, it can provide an opportunity for leaders to more intentionally integrate transparency into their workplaces.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a conversation senior leadership needs,\u201d says Napoli. \u201cIt will allow teams to have a stronger connection when they do this right.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

During his webinar, he covered:<\/span><\/p>\n

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  • How to recruit Millennials and GenZ-ers<\/span><\/li>\n
  • What does it mean to create company culture\/values?<\/span><\/li>\n
  • How to build company culture\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Building culture in a remote\/hybrid environment<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    To learn more about recruiting and building culture,\u00a0see if you qualify for membership<\/a>\u00a0and check out the\u00a0<\/b>webinar<\/a><\/b> from December 6.<\/b><\/p>\n