The Hidden Reason Startups Fail Isn’t Product - It’s Culture | Natalie Pearce

🚀 How to Build Company Culture That Actually Works | Natalie Pearce on Culture Design for Startups

Want to build a high-performing team - but don’t know where to start with company culture? In this episode of The Millennial Entrepreneur, Sina speaks with Natalie Pearce, a culture design expert and founder of The Future Kind, to unpack what culture really means - and how early-stage startups can build it with intention from day one.

Natalie breaks down why culture isn’t all about perks or a fancy office - it’s “the way we do things around here.” From avoiding cultural debt to improving team communication, meeting habits, and values-based leadership, this episode is packed with practical frameworks and sharp insights for founders who want to grow without losing their people - or their purpose.

🔹 Who is this video for?

✅ Startup founders & entrepreneurs building early-stage teams

✅ People & culture leads looking to make work more human

✅ Leaders managing remote, hybrid, or asynchronous teams

What you’ll learn:

📌 Why company culture starts before you hire

📌 The hidden cost of “cultural debt” in fast-scaling startups

📌 Communication rituals that actually work (and which meetings to ditch)

📌 Key culture pillars: psychological safety, inclusion, accountability & more

📌 How to design benefits that reflect your values - not just trends

📌 Why great culture is a competitive advantage - not a “nice to have”

👉 Stick around to the end for practical tips you can apply right now - whether you're building your team or trying to fix what's not working.

#StartupCulture #CompanyCulture #TheMillennialEntrepreneur #RemoteWork #CultureDesign #LeadershipTips

00:00 Introduction

03:17 Culture: Brand and Team Alignment

09:38 Early-Stage Startup Retention Challenges

13:45 Inclusion, Empowerment, Growth Mindset

15:42 Growth and Communication in Startups

20:08 Effective Team Gatherings Boost Collaboration

24:51 Meeting Overload!

30:35 "Culture as a Competitive Advantage"

32:55 Authenticity in Workplace Flexibility

36:08 Creative Approaches to Vacation Policies

🎙 Connect with Natalie: https://www.thefuturekind.co

📸 Instagram: @TheMillennialEntrepreneurPod

📬 Subscribe to the Blog: https://sinablog.medium.com/

💼 My Business (Wing): https://www.wingcard.io/

🎧 Podcast Equipment I Use: https://amzn.to/31Os4fV, https://amzn.to/3kul2Fm"