In this edition of Podcast Awesome, Matt sits down with Font Awesome founder, Dave Gandy, at the 2024 Snuggle in Bentonville, Arkansas. Between karaoke sessions and Hoobastank choruses (blame Ed), Matt and Dave discuss a topic on a lot of minds lately: How do you build a company where people actually want to stick around?
With a tech industry average of just 18 months at a job, Font Awesome breaks the mold — no one has left in over 10 years. Dave and Matt dive into Font Awesome’s hiring philosophy, the importance of building a people-first culture, and how giving employees autonomy and treating them like adults might just be the magic recipe for success.
Key Takeaways:
- Loyalty Beyond the Paycheck: At Font Awesome, it’s about treating people as humans first — loyalty comes from loyalty. Simple, right?
- Hire for Character: Skills are important, but character and culture fit are what truly makes a team thrive.
- Autonomy Matters: Give people the freedom to make decisions, and watch creativity and innovation skyrocket.
- It’s Not Just Business: A company’s culture is built on everything someone brings from outside of work, not just the hours they log in the office.
Timestamp Breakdown:
- 0:05 | 🎤 Welcome to the Snuggle: Karaoke, Game Nights, & Company Culture
- 2:30 | 🏢 The Importance of Building a People-First Culture in Tech
- 6:45 | 🧠 How Loyalty and Trust are Built When You Hire for Character
- 11:10 | 👨💻 Autonomy is Key: Why Giving Employees Freedom is Essential
- 15:55 | 💡 Solving Problems vs. Solving Interesting Problems: Finding the Balance
- 21:30 | 🚀 How Font Awesome Created a Company People Want to Stick With
Links and Resources:
- Podcast Awesome: https://www.podcastawesome.com/
- Font Awesome Hiring Philosophy: https://blog.fontawesome.com/company-culture/
- Twitter: @fontawesome
Credits:
- Theme music by Ronnie Martin: https://ronniemartin.org/
- Audio mastering by Chris Enns at Lemon Productions: https://www.lemonproductions.ca/
Stay up to date on all the Font Awesomeness!
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
Ridiculous History
History is beautiful, brutal and, often, ridiculous. Join Ben Bowlin and Noel Brown as they dive into some of the weirdest stories from across the span of human civilization in Ridiculous History, a podcast by iHeartRadio.