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The symbol for a 2-year anniversary is cotton. Cotton symbolises the maturation of a relationship and people becoming interwoven.
I have a husband, and he’s not called eve. But I do like what cotton represents for my 2 year anniversary here at eve Networks. Or as we affectionately call it, my eve-versary.
The last 2 years have taught me important lessons about business culture and the role a brand plays in creating a healthy environment where people can shine.
Table of Contents
the beginning
The challenge back in 2021 was to create an identity for ourselves.
We had an established product, our cloud phone system eve Voice, but the sale of a division within our group created the need for a new brand.
We sat together for the first time as the eve Networks leadership team and asked – who are we, and what do we stand for?
We got some help from fst, a talented design agency. They did a brilliant job of coaxing all that information out of us. We walked away with something that was a really neat fit. We had our shiny new eve Networks brand and a clear company vision.
But a lot can happen in 2 years.
the relationship between brand and culture
A great brand is about creating a story that customers want to be part of.
Great cultures have a brilliant story that employees want to be part of.
The two go hand in hand.
What’s the eve Networks brand all about?
Our brand is about technology and innovation.
It’s about delivering real benefits to businesses.
eve Networks is a conscious brand – we look for high commitment, transparency, and a sense of purpose.
Our purpose in a nutshell?
We connect the world and make it better.
With our communication tools we help people express ideas, build better relationships and achieve their goals.
a brand goes beyond your visual identity
Spencer Kammer, content strategist at Boldist says it perfectly in their article Why company culture is important for your brand identity:
“Your brand goes beyond your visual identity, it’s also defined by the values shared between the company and its employees. Great company culture is more than just a tactic for social media marketing, it aligns your team with the company’s vision and fuels their motivation to rally together. It’s the relationship leadership grows and nurtures between the business and its employees.”
what does a healthy business culture look like?
Creating a business culture that ties in with your brand and your purpose can seem like an impossible task. Where do you start?
Culture isn’t a cycle-to-work scheme or free beer in the fridge.
But what is business culture, if it’s not pizza Fridays?
Culture is setting people up to succeed
It’s creating a safe environment where people are encouraged to be brilliant.
That’s the thing I love most about eve Networks – everyone genuinely wants the people around them to reach their full potential. And then we’re encouraged to reach a little farther.
Culture is trust
From day 1 we agreed that micro-management is stifling and that we didn’t want that for our team.
Freedom means that people can fly. As a Manager, watching people take that opportunity is the most incredible thing.
Culture is connection
That means learning how to bring out the best in one another. It means honest and consistent communication. And it means having each other’s backs and always doing the right thing.
2 years on
There was no magic switch to flip. Creating an authentic business culture was a gradual, natural thing. It needed patience and belief in our brand.
So, how did we do?
- We’ve matured as a team.
- We’ve leveled up our technology offering.
- We’ve attracted new distributors and partners.
- More businesses than ever are using our eve Voice and eve Connect solutions.
- 3 people in the team have been awarded our Level Up cup, our symbol to recognise exceptional contribution.
To protect and develop what we worked so hard to create, we recently revisited the brand work we did way back in 2021.
We asked ourselves the same questions – who are we and what do we stand for?
revisiting our internal values
Our values are the cornerstones of our culture. They reflect what’s important to us.
While all other aspects of our brand remain relevant 2 years on, our values have evolved.
Our new values weren’t just pulled from a hat. We reflected on the work we did back in 2021 and worked together as a team to consider our perceived expertise in our industry. This is where we landed:
Contribute – We don’t just dream big, we work for it as individuals, and as a team. We understand the importance of personal responsibility – we really care about what we do. We challenge the status quo and run at the opportunity to make a difference.
Be exceptional – we aim for brilliance in every single thing we do for our partners, for our team, and for ourselves as individuals. We’re driven by our pursuit to be exceptional. We encourage ambition, original ideas, and big, innovative thinking.
Believe in teamwork – we build better when we work together. We know how to bring out the best in one another; we’re always helpful and open-minded so that we become even stronger as a team.
Act with integrity – for us, integrity is about saying what we do, and doing what we say. We treat everyone with kindness, dignity, and respect. We’re trustworthy, ethical, and fair.
Play well with others – we get that communication is more than ones and zeros, it’s human. Creating a real connection takes care. We’re real, we listen and we take time to understand people’s points of view.
“I love that our values reflect who we are, they’re not top-down instructions for our behaviour.
eve Networks is an incredible place to be”.
Steve Barclay, Managing Director at eve Networks.
our external values
Simplify for seamless connectivity.
Unify digital communication tools, products and services.
Advance through progressive attitudes and trusted partnerships.
my 3 big takeaways
- Smart leaders know that culture = people. They make people their priority.
- A brand plays a powerful role in culture, and vice-versa. Fully trust in your brand and protect it. Make time to stop and check your purpose and values as you grow.
- Everything works better when the entire team is all in! Your brand can help make that happen.
what next?
We have big plans for 2023 and intend to take our business to the next level.
We’re looking for some brilliant people to help make it happen.
If our values fit with yours, we’d like to get to know you. Head over to our careers page where you can find out more about what it’s like to work with our team, along with all the roles we have available today.
