Most companies treat core values as a branding exercise — words chosen in a workshop and printed on a poster. The ones that stick are different. They're discovered, not invented, and they reflect how the founders actually built the business from day one.
"You define your core values usually by looking at what the company founder or founders valued most in the way they operate their business. Values really aren't something you create. They're something to be discovered."
— Dayne Shuda, founder, Ghost Blog Writers
Three places to look
1. Your origin story
The way a company was built — the problems it chose to solve, the trade-offs its founders made, the customers it prioritized — reveals what it actually values. Ask: what made us start this? What were we willing to sacrifice? What did we refuse to compromise on? The answers are your values.
2. Your mission statement
Most companies spend real time crafting their mission. That statement of purpose is a natural source for core values — the principles that make the mission achievable. If your mission is to help workers earn more, your values might include things like fairness, transparency, and worker advocacy.
3. Your team
Ask your team to brainstorm a list of words that describe the company at its best. Whittle the list down to the most vital and distinctive — not the ones that sound good, but the ones that would actually change behavior if violated. Which team members best exemplify the company spirit? Work backward from what makes them exceptional.
Revisit them regularly
Values aren't a one-time exercise. As your team grows and your market evolves, the principles that guide your decisions may shift. Set a cadence — annually works for most companies — to revisit your values and ask whether they still reflect how you actually operate. The goal isn't consistency for its own sake; it's honesty about who you are.