We sell two things at TRAX…
The CEO of HubSpot notoriously said that they sell two products at HubSpot… their CRM, and their Culture. Treat your culture as your second product.
**Mic drop.
This statement is what every CEO and leader should live by, IMO. Your culture and internal organization is just as important (if not more) as the product or service you sell. Now I know CEO of Hubspot is particularly speaking about needing a strong culture to be able to recruit top talent, but I think it goes deeper than that. We wholeheartedly believe at TRAX that we sell our team and the brand first, then the product second.
That might sound counterintuitive but think about it… How many times have you wanted to buy a service or product but then found that the entire experience of its delivery and the personalities of those delivering it made you just prefer to not have the product at all at the end of the day? How many times have you seen the success posted of a company on linked in just to realize that everyone at the company actually hated working there? Have you ever worked at a company where you dreaded going in which made doing your job that much harder? And lastly, when selecting between two products, chances are you are going to select it with the company in mind… after all, you are going to have to work with them daily. I have seen way too many times a client asking us our opinion on a partner or vendor because they had similar products, and the client making the decision to select a product that might not have been as great as the other because the people made it less desirable.
Your success is determined by the team around you in more ways than one.
At TRAX, we are NOTHING and I truly mean NOTHING without our team. The people that are growing this company with me impact our clients, each other, and the world around us. How you treat each other, no matter your title, is so drastically important and determines whether or not your team will stick around for the journey when things get tough. Building a culture that people want to be a part of should be one of your top priorities as a leader. Ensuring your team is valued, heard, and encouraged to grow is imperative. We (myself included) haven’t always been perfect, but we always strive to be better daily. We lean on each other, support each other, and value each other. And when your culture is strong, you can tackle anything thrown your way.
Now, I know this might sound “mushy” but I do not take for granted the team around me. You should never take your team for granted. We are lean and mean and it shocks people daily how much success we have for a company with less than 50 employees. I am so grateful for the passion, the excitement in the brand, the growth we see in each other and in the company. I am so grateful for the hard work and the laughter during tough times. I am so grateful for the work we are winning and so proud of the product we are delivering.
Success is much sweeter when shared.
Tracy and Milo