At Firespring, we’ve built a vibrant culture that attracts top talent and passionate team members—and we have sustained it for decades. We wouldn’t say it was easy or that it happened overnight, but it did involve three intentional steps: We discovered our values. We hire according to our values. We live our values. Basically, we live, eat and breathe them, and every team member clearly understands that they are the center of our universe. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that if we take great care of our people, our people will take great care of our clients. Our space is special. We have a hangout area with couches, a game room that includes shuffleboard, free beer and soda in the break room and a huge slide for a quick, easy and ridiculously fun way to get from one floor to the next. It’s all pretty cool. But those perks have nothing to do with our culture. Culture is not about slides or toys or cool stuff; it’s about people who are aligned with one another and focused on making an impact with shared goals and values. And great cultures do not happen by accident. We knew this from the beginning: If we wanted community impact to be a pillar of our culture, we’d need to hire and inspire team members who wanted giving back to be a meaningful part of their lives. So, instead of pulling out our checkbook and matching donations, we urged people to get out into the world, roll up their sleeves and get their hands dirty. The result? They began sharing stories of doing more good, connecting with one another and becoming happier individuals not only at work, but overall.