In the early days of an organization, "culture" is often just a reflection of the founders' personalities. You hire people you like, you move fast, and you manage by "vibes." But as you scale—hitting that critical inflection point between 20 and 200 employees—those informal practices start to fail. Communication breaks down, accountability becomes muddy, and suddenly, your most talented people seem to be rowing in different directions. Most leaders respond to this friction by looking at their...

As we move through the first quarter of 2026, most business leaders are deep in an evaluation mindset. You are likely meeting with your financial advisors, reviewing your 2025 filings, and scrutinizing your operational systems to ensure every dollar is accounted for. You want to know if your capital is being deployed effectively and if your financial systems are sound for the year ahead. But while you are auditing your spreadsheets, have you taken a moment to audit your people...