The Heart of StoryTeller: Our Common Set of Values and Beliefs

You know how company core values go:  Honesty, trust, clear communication, passion, innovation, hard work blah, blah, blah. So often leaders treat company values like a formality - it’s important to have them, but usually go unobserved. Yet, now more than ever, we all want to work for, and partner with, an organization that stands for something meaningful. At a time when hiring the right people for the right seat is tougher than ever, and retaining talent in this virtual and hybrid world, your company's core values should attract the right people and scare away those who are not the best fit.

Years ago, StoryTeller was no different than most companies and our values were hollow and meaningless. It’s not to say we didn't value those traits in people. In fact, if a job candidate today doesn’t possess those basic values like honesty, trust and clear communication, red flags would go up before the core values are even considered. So, we think of those essential values as “permission to play” values, which is to say, those values get you in the game.

Our core values are what our company has been built upon and they are the foundation for how we hire, fire, review and reward our team. They are values that have helped us earn Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal's Best Places to Work honors multiple times, including 2022. Best of all, these values were created by taking the best attributes of our already amazing team. If you can emphatically check off each of these values, we should talk! Here they are:

1. Problem Solver

At StoryTeller, our clients hire us to solve big problems: drive new leads to their business, generate results they can measure, and communicate their messages clearly and effectively. It’s a challenge we take seriously and we will do everything in our power, pulling out all the tools in our tool chest, to help. Often, this requires tremendous creativity, vision, and determination. We love people who are relentless in solving problems quickly and efficiently. We're so committed to solving problems, we implemented the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) in 2016 to solve our biggest business problems. EOS remains the backbone of how we solve our company's most important problems every day of every week, month and year!

2. Lock Down Reliability

When we talk about lock down reliability we mean “100% dependable-I-will-never-let-you-down-reliable.” Who’s the most reliable person in your life? Who’s your lock down reliable person? That’s what we mean. Are you that person to your co-workers and your clients? Or do you just like it when other people are that way for your convenience? We do not take people for granted, and as a result, it’s critical that our clients and co-workers know that when you say you’ll do something, you’ll do it. No question about it. On the other hand, if you’re someone that expects others should adapt to you, you definitely won't fit our culture at StoryTeller.

3. Get Shit Done

Yep, I said it. Get Shit Done. This value has two meanings. The first is straightforward - we get shit done. We knock out work quickly, efficiently, on time, and on budget. Period. We don’t waste time, delay projects for silly editorial nuances. We’re the special forces, the Navy Seals of a marketing department, so we move quickly to get shit done. Secondly, people who thrive at StoryTeller are not afraid to do the “shit work.” Everyone on our team is willing to help take out the trash and clean the fridge and get their hands dirty and they are not above any duty in the company. After all, this helps us get shit done.

4. Inspire by Example

Arguably the softest of our core values, however, it’s critical for culture. We’re not attention-seeking, chest thumpers. Instead, we favor people who possess a quiet confidence and don’t need to make sure others know how great they are. When you’re arm-to-arm and side-by-side, getting shit done so you can be lockdown reliable, you will inspire all of us. This is not to say when you inspire by example you don’t need kudos. To the contrary, kudos are part of our weekly meetings when we celebrate those who displayed our values during the previous week.

5. Driven to Mastery

Have you learned it all? Reached the top of your game? Know it all? Then you’re not singing from the StoryTeller hymnal. We recognize that mastery is elusive; that you never really master anything, because just when you get to the pinnacle, you realize there’s another peak to summit. Our clients rely on us to continue to learn more so we can help grow their business. Please don’t tell us you’ve learned it all because odds are, you haven't. There are no grades and there's no graduation in our work. It's an evolution. However, we appreciate this characteristic so much, we have an annual award for the person who shows a relentless drive to mastery. As marketing continues to evolve, we will always be driven to refine and discover new tricks, tools, and applications for our work.

Our core values are evident in people who are lockdown reliable problem solvers who get shit done because they’re driven to mastery and most importantly, they inspire us all by their example. If your values align with ours, you’ll fit right in at StoryTeller, because this is our culture - our common set of values and beliefs.