Since our inception in 2012, we’ve stood for values that clearly define who we are as a company. It’s true that not very often, if ever at all, have I actually been asked what our values are.
This is because we put into action our values through our company culture, by carefully curating our client list, by pushing our clients to do better in the community and by the actions we take as a staff. Through our actions we define our values clearly enough that it’s obvious to the world at large.
That makes me proud.
How? Well, for example, most of my employees carpool or commute by bicycle, so we host Bike to Work Day pit stops. We help our clients advocate for environmental justice and human rights, so we have action items on our staff agendas to call our representatives on timely policy issues. We host a free food garden outside of our office. We marched at the Women’s March. We have social justice artwork hung in our office.
But, still, as a business growing in sophistication and reaching beyond its comfort zone, we formalized our values in writing so that we can be 100 percent clear in what we stand for. We can use these values as a guiding light to filter clients that might not fit us and to set a direction for our growth and the development of our team. My staff expressed happiness and notes of inspiration when they read our values for the first time. They noted how the clarity in our values helps them accurately share with their friends and family what their day job stands for.
Truth be told, it was challenging to narrow down our values. We’re a values-based company, so we had a lot to say in this category. But, as that famous, and not accurately quoted saying goes, “If I had more time, I would have written less.” So we took our time brainstorming, reflecting and drafting our values. We even ran them by our clients for feedback to ensure we’re getting it right from all perspectives. (And let’s be honest, I used that as an opportunity to listen to my clients to ensure we really are standing for what we believe in through our actions and client relationships).
I’m very proud to share with the world, Mixte Communications, Inc.’s company values. What do you think?
Life is short. Our choices matter.
At Mixte Communications, Inc., we choose to nurture our community of San Diego and empower the people who do good. We choose to invest in the bold leaders taking action. We choose to adventure. We practice cultural humility, lift diversity and use our privileges to fight for equity. We see the potential of humankind to protect our one and only Earth, and we choose the local actions with global change. Good work takes time. In that time, happiness matters, because life is short, because we always have a choice.
