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After co-authoring a book on Zomato’s culture, my inbox exploded with questions:
What even is company culture?
Do vision and mission actually matter—or are they corporate jargon?
How do you design a culture when companies today are built to flip, not endure?
Why Some Places Just Feel Different
Ever walked into an office, hotel, or university and felt an instant sense of belonging? That’s culture. Not free snacks, slogans, or titles. It’s the repeated, joyful actions of people.
Culture, vision, and mission are what separate infinite-minded companies (Apple, Tesla, Zomato) from those that drift or pivot endlessly.
The 3 Pillars of a Company That Lasts
1. Purpose: Your North Star
Vision and mission aren’t fluff—they’re filters. Every meeting, hire, and decision should pass the purpose test. Without it, you drift. With it, you endure.
2. Culture: What You Repeatedly Do
Culture shows up in how people act under pressure, how they treat each other, and what they do on tough days. It’s not words—it’s consistent action, ideally with joy.
3. Team: Your Only Real Moat
Markets shift. Tech evolves. The only edge that compounds is your team. Hire for values, not just skills. Misalignment breeds politics and burnout. Alignment creates momentum.
Who Owns Culture?
Founders design it. Leaders steward it. As Peter Senge reminds us, leaders are designers, stewards, and teachers. Most stay stuck reacting to events or chasing patterns. The best redesign structures and anchor everything in purpose.
Zomato’s Cultural Revolution
Think of the Redwood forest. Trees don’t grow tall because of deep roots—they grow tall because their roots intertwine, holding each other up. That’s how we built Zomato: a culture of we before me. Intellectual honesty. First-principle thinking. Mutual accountability. Strength through interconnectedness.
Ask Yourself:
Does your culture reflect your true identity—or just perks?
Is your vision clear, or are you drifting?
Are you hiring for alignment—or just skills?
Culture isn’t a buzzword. It’s your strongest asset—or your biggest liability.
So: what’s one thing your company does daily that defines its culture?
