Cultivating a Culture of Innovation and Collaboration

In my years as an entrepreneur and leader, I've realized that one of the most critical factors in the success of any organization is its culture. This has only been reinforced as I read books and listen to great speakers like Jack Daly.

Two cultural elements stand out when it comes to driving growth and helping your team thrive: innovation and collaboration.

At Wagento, the agency I ran from 2010 to 2021, we made these values the cornerstones of our operation. It wasn't always easy; We had offices in the USA, Mexico, Bolivia, and India. Fostering a true culture of innovation and collaboration takes hard work, dedication, and a willingness to learn from successes and failures. (I experienced a lot of failures) But the payoff was immense, not just in business results, but in the satisfaction of working with a team always striving to push boundaries and support each other.

The Vision Thing

One of the first lessons I learned about nurturing culture was the importance of a clear, compelling vision. It's not enough to tell your team to "be innovative" or "work together." You must paint a picture of where you're trying to go and why it matters. You need to walk the walk with your team.

At Wagento, our vision was to be the leading provider of cutting-edge ecommerce solutions, delivering exceptional value to our clients through a combination of technical excellence, creative problem-solving, and seamless teamwork. We talked about this vision constantly – in team meetings, in one-on-ones, even in casual conversations around the office. After our acquisition, I doubled down on one-on-ones, meeting every team member for at least 15 minutes every quarter. (Think 120 people in 6-7 countries)

And it wasn't just talk. We ensured our vision was reflected in everything we did, from the projects we took on to how we organized our teams. By keeping that north star always in view, we aligned everyone's efforts and ensured we were all pulling in the same direction.

Embracing the Learning Curve

Of course, having a vision is one thing. Bringing it to life is another. We found that one key to doing that was creating an environment where people felt safe to experiment, take risks, and sometimes fail.

Innovation, after all, is an inherently uncertain process. If you want your team to come up with truly original ideas and solutions, you have to give them the space to venture into uncharted territory. That means tolerating a certain amount of trial and error and even outright failure. It means that you have to be encouraging even on the precipice of defeat. (My words not ChatGPT!)

At Wagento, we tried to celebrate learning experiences as much as we celebrated successes. When a project didn't go as planned, we'd do a post-mortem to figure out what went wrong and what we could do better next time. And we made sure to share those lessons across the organization, so everyone could benefit.

This approach not only helped us push the boundaries of what was possible with ecommerce, but it also sent a powerful message to our team: that we valued their growth and development as much as their output. And that, in turn, fostered a greater sense of engagement and ownership.

Leading by Example

As a leader, I also quickly realized that building a collaborative, innovative culture wasn't just about what I said – it was about what I did. If I wanted my team to work together seamlessly and bring their best ideas, I needed to model that behavior myself. I didn't go as far as making everyone run a marathon with me, but we did figuratively complete a marathon every time we launched a project.

That meant being open and transparent in my communication, actively seeking out input and feedback from team members at all levels, and being willing to admit when I didn't have all the answers. It meant rolling up my sleeves and working side-by-side with my team, not just dictating from on high.

The culture wasn't about "Brent." It was about the team and what the team needed. It wasn't even about Wagento; it was about the customer. At the end of the day, it has to be about the customer.

And perhaps most importantly, it meant celebrating and rewarding collaboration and innovation whenever I saw it happening. Whether it was a public shout-out in a company meeting or a heartfelt one-on-one "thank you," I tried to make sure people knew that their efforts to work together and think outside the box were seen and appreciated.

Equipping for Success

Tools and technology are often overlooked in discussions about culture, but in my experience, they can make a huge difference. Giving your team the right equipment to communicate, collaborate, and do their best work isn't just a nice-to-have – it's a necessity.

At Wagento, we invested heavily in collaboration platforms like Slack and project management tools like Jira. But more than just buying software, we ensured everyone was trained to use it effectively. We established clear guidelines and best communication practices and ensured information was always easy to find and share. We rolled out #EOS at great expense and instituted L10 meetings that kept everyone on the same page. We bound our EOS process together with EOS Tools to make it run smoothly.

This might seem small, but it had a big impact. When the technological friction to collaboration was removed, people naturally started working together more closely and more often. And that, in turn, led to better ideas, better execution, and better results.

Encouraging Cross-Pollination

Cross-functional collaboration was one of the most powerful ways we found to drive innovation. Instead of keeping people siloed in their departments or areas of expertise, we actively encouraged them to work together across boundaries and borders.

This could take many forms – from assembling diverse project teams to tackle specific challenges, to holding regular "lunch and learn" sessions where people from different parts of the company would share their work and perspectives. The goal was always to get people out of their comfort zones and exposed to new ways of thinking.

My wife and I would have team members fly to Minnesota and stay at our house for a week. We would even make them cook a meal. After all, there is nothing like a shared meal to encourage communication and collaboration.

And the results spoke for themselves. Some of our most successful initiatives and solutions came from these cross-functional collaborations, where people with different skillsets and viewpoints were able to spark off each other and come up with approaches no one would have thought of on their own.

Carrying the Torch

Perhaps the most gratifying aspect of building a strong culture is seeing it take on a life of its own, continuing to thrive even as the people we hire continue to evolve and grow. That's certainly been the case with the culture of innovation and collaboration we built at Wagento.

Even after our acquisition in 2021, I've been thrilled to see how my former teammates, particularly Vijay Golani and Sanjay Patel, have carried that culture forward in their own ventures. They've continued to embody the values of curiosity, collaboration, and continuous learning and have used them to achieve truly impressive things.

Seeing their successes has been a powerful reminder that culture isn't just a nice-to-have or a feel-good initiative – it's a critical business asset. When you get it right, it becomes a self-sustaining source of energy and creativity that can power an organization forward through even the toughest challenges and changes.

Culture: The Gift That Keeps Giving

Looking back on my journey, I can say without hesitation that building a strong culture of innovation and collaboration has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career. It hasn't always been easy – it takes constant effort, reflection, and a willingness to adapt and improve. But the payoffs, both personal and professional, have been immense.

To anyone looking to foster a similar culture in their own organization, my advice is simple: start with a clear vision, lead by example, provide the right support and resources, and most importantly, trust and empower your people. When you create an environment where everyone feels valued, supported, and inspired to bring their best, amazing things can happen.

At Wagento, and now in the continued work of leaders like Vijay and Sanjay, I've seen firsthand how a commitment to innovation and collaboration can transform not just a company but an entire industry. I'm deeply proud of this legacy, and I know it will continue to drive positive change for years to come. After all, when it comes to the power of working together and pushing boundaries, the sky's truly the limit.