🎙 In this episode, Font Awesome founder Dave Gandy joins our host Matt Johnson for an honest, unfiltered convo about what it means to build a *lifestyle company* (and wear that badge proudly 💪). This isn’t your typical startup hustle. We’re diving into the “people-first” culture that makes Font Awesome a standout, from character-driven hiring to redefining what success means beyond growth on charts and graphs. 🏆💼
As Dave says, instead of climbing someone else’s ladder, Font Awesome is building its own way up, with purpose, transparency, and some solid work-life balance goals. Here’s why we believe that putting *people* over profit isn’t just good business — it’s just the way the work should be. 🌱💼
🔑 Key Takeaways:
Lifestyle Company, Proudly: We’re embracing the “lifestyle” label, focusing on growth, happiness, and well-being over sky-high returns. 📈💆♂️
Character > Skills: At Font Awesome, character-first hiring = trust, respect, and people who actually *want* to stick around. 🫶✨
VC Vibes Not Required: Font Awesome skips the “thousand-X-or-bust” mentality for a sustainable, fulfilling work culture. 👋💸
Life Outside Work Matters: The best parts of life are outside the office—so why not bring those values in? 🏠🌅
The Right Partner in Crime: Success means finding a partner who balances your quirks. 👯♂️ The perfect co-founder is a friend, critic, and cheerleader rolled into one.
Timestamp Summary
0:12 | 🌱 Building a Lifestyle Company Focused on Well-Being and Growth
6:52 | 💼 Creating a People-First Company Against Conventional Practices
12:04 | 🧑🤝🧑 Human-Centric Product Design and Company Culture
15:59 | 🤝 The Importance of Balanced Partnerships in Business
20:38 | 🫶 Embracing a People-First Culture at Font Awesome
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/
- Music interstitials by Zach Malm: https://muzach.bandcamp.com/
- Audio mastering by Chris Enns at Lemon Productions: https://www.lemonproductions.ca/
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