Company culture. It’s a frequent topic of conversation in the startup scene. And no, we're not talking about offering unlimited PTO, unlimited snacks, or more recently, a work from home stipend. While all those things may play a small part in the culture that your company creates, they are not what defines it. What defines a great company culture are the people you’re surrounded by and the values your company seeks to uphold.

Building a great company culture starts on day zero. Yes, the early days of running a startup are challenging. There are so many questions that need to be answered and problems that need to be solved. But one of the most important questions you need to answer is what is the company culture going to look like? What are the key characteristics your company will build around?

Sounds complicated? It doesn’t have to be. Our team recently interviewed Eric Smith, Head of Business Design at High Alpha on Aspiring Ops. Eric shared a few of the key processes he recommends for founders to help them build a culture centered on accountability. Listen below:

It can be all too easy in the early days of your business to get lost in the bigger questions. So you have to make time to focus on the little things. As Eric shares, this can make all the difference for your team. Create a weekly meeting. Put a simple feedback loop in place that holds your team accountable to what they need to deliver on.

Like most things when you're at a startup, you may not get it exactly right on day one. But you will be able to build upon it and get better with time. Trust us. In the long run, you’ll be thankful for the work you put in today to build that incredible company culture you’ve always dreamed of.