Of course, jokes aside, corporate lifestyle is not something you spend much time thinking about once you roll up your sleeves and start building a business. That is, until you start building a team.
My business partner, Mark Bower, and I were clear from the outset that we would hire talent and attitude, and create an environment where everyone would want to grow with our start-up. We couldn’t be happier with our team – all are self-starters, capable and fun to work with.
The office atmosphere reminds me of when I first started in the City. It was a privilege to work with such talented people, and there was an amazing sense of drive and camaraderie. Morgan Stanley (MS) was determined to be an “employer of choice”. It was well known that MS employees weren’t necessarily the highest paid in the City – but those whom MS wanted to hire would forgo the salary differential to work with the others that MS could attract. In this respect, a tight start-up budget can help budding entrepreneurs develop great teams.
But what about being chauffeur driven home, flying business class, dining in amazing restaurants and even sharing the red carpet with A-List celebrities? Believe me; it wasn’t as glamorous as it first sounds…
Mostly I was chauffeur driven home when I had worked until the early hours. And business class is just a blur when you fly out to New York on a Sunday afternoon, back in Wednesday evening and work in the London office Thursday and Friday.
Currently our closest start-up equivalents have been team lunches to welcome new joiners (chain restaurants that accept 2-4-1 vouchers) and donuts for deadlines – I wouldn’t say that the team would work for donuts, but they are highly motivated by them!
My favourite perk was the Executive Gym. You had to get promoted to a certain level to get in, but once in, everything was provided – kit, towels and personal training. We could leave our trainers in pigeon holes and turn up any time. The CubeSocial team, in contrast, have said they couldn’t think of a worse perk!
The key benefit we can offer now is flexibility. We can be flexible about childcare appointments, waiting in for a tradesman, etc. For us, it’s not the number of hours spent at your desk each day that counts, its performance against deliverables. We like to keep annual leave for time out.
Discussing this with the team, mostly they thought my previous life ridiculous! Once the teasing and laughter stopped, there was consensus that everyone’s playing a part in defining what CubeSocial is and will be. And that I should keep buying the donuts!
