Background

Many companies try to establish company values too late. They often come across as insincere, especially if they don’t reflect how the company actually operates. We wanted to avoid this by defining our values explicitly from the very beginning. We derived the following 5 values by asking the question, what are the values or qualities that Ben and Troy:

  1. Admire about each other
  2. Both share
  3. Want to preserve as the company grows

Values

  1. Public service
    1. We are motivated by public service. We believe that citizens deserve effective and transparent government, and that good technology products are necessary to advance this goal. We prioritize the needs and interests of citizens in our decision-making. Because our revenue comes from public funds and our products facilitate essential public services, we go above and beyond to deliver high-quality products and services.
  2. Striving
    1. For our team, a good life consists of striving vigorously towards something that is personally meaningful, challenges us to grow, and doing this alongside inspiring colleagues.
    2. At the same time, we don’t blindly prioritize all work above everything - we value our relationships with friends/family and our physical/ mental health. If we have plans to get dinner with a close friend on a Wednesday, we’ll take off at 5pm. When we are feeling burnt out and need to recover, we’ll go to bed earlier, or avoid opening our laptops for an entire weekend. Work occupies a central role in our lives, but we are intentional about taking breaks in order to come back stronger.
  3. Humility
    1. We have high self-confidence, which allows us to accept feedback as constructive and not as an attack on our abilities. We actively solicit criticism and advice from others because we believe it makes us better. We constantly endeavor to improve ourselves and our work.
  4. Operational excellence
    1. We define objectives quantitatively and are intentional about prioritizing a small number of the most important things. We are resourceful and lean into challenges with a growth mindset. We hold ourselves to a high standard because we see our work as a reflection of ourselves.
  5. Transparency
    1. We are proactive about communicating our honest thoughts and emotions with each other, especially when doing so may be uncomfortable. We believe that unusual levels of transparency and emotional vulnerability build trust and empower people to make better decisions.