Values

Our Values

Be Compassionate

• Be kind. We are people first and workers second. Remember that people have bad days
• Reach first for generosity. The world is not zero sum. We can create abundance collectively
• Assuming bad intentions is a self-fulfilling prophecy. Assuming grace leads to grace

Focused Excellence

• We focus on what is under our control. We don’t let the rest distract us
• What is under our control we deliver with pride. We harness focus to deliver excellence
• We focus on excellent outcomes rather than excellent processes

We not I

• We believe the best teams are greater than the sum of their parts
• We look to maximize team utility, but recognize one another’s strengths and weaknesses
• We carry ourselves individually with humility. As a team we project confidence

Family First

• Our family could be our closest friends, our parents, siblings, our spouse and kids, or our dogs. These are the relationships that will define our lives. They come first
• We pursue our work with intensity and high standards, but we refuse to sacrifice one for the other. In conflicts, family takes precedence.

Originally Curious

• We stay curious and hungry for new knowledge
• We are humble enough to accept there is much we do not know, but confident enough to challenge received wisdom through our own reason
• We take time to satisfy the curiosity of others and to teach what we know, across functions and bodies of knowledge

Transparently Vulnerable

• Vulnerability breeds trust, concealment breeds distance
• Minimize assumptions and gossip. When in doubt, validate directly with the primary source
• Pursuing truth means acknowledging mistakes. Revealing mistakes should be celebrated, not criticized

Positive Intentions & Outcomes

• We care deeply about contributing to positive outcomes
• We can look into our parents, partners, friends, or kids’ eyes, share with them both the purpose and the reality of what we have built, including any negative externalities, and feel pride
• Keep the north star north. We do not compromise our clarity of purpose

Operating Principles

We are the Agents

• We believe in human agency. We as humans have explicit intent and use every tool available to fulfill that intent
• Our collective neural diversity is our strength and our moat
• Leverage technology maximally but do not be lazy. Remember that you are the axe. Keep your mind sharp and do not ignorantly become the facilitator of another’s intent

Craft Beauty

• The world needs beauty and craft
• Only you can bring your own version of beauty into the world
• To craft something well requires effort and mastery. We celebrate both

Be Charming

• Being polite and charming goes a long way, especially under stress
• We treat others in a way that brings lightness, maybe even a smile
• We tend to overestimate how well others understand our thoughts. Remember to overcommunicate.

Thoughtful but Relentless

• As our strength and power increases, so should the consideration we give to our actions and decisions. As we grow and succeed, we become more thoughtful and less callous
• We are considerate and thoughtful, but when we have determined the best course of action, we are relentless in the pursuit of those objectives

Technology is the Means, not the End

• We use software, because that’s what we know
• But we are not here to sell cute code, fun algorithms or programming languages
• If we could run this business on a spreadsheet better than with code, we would

Ambitious Goals, Credible Steps

• We are not afraid to be incredibly ambitious
• But we are meticulous about forming credible plans
• We need to convince ourselves of the path, and understand how we step into the sky

Radical Responsibility, Generous Recognition

• Each individual should think like an owner of the Company
• Every task has a clear owner, that owner has clear responsibility
• We look to recognize the contributions of others before those of ourselves