In this episode of Culture Uncovered, Jena Dunay sits down with Jason Nadaskay, Chief People Officer at Valor, to explore what it's like to build culture at a fast-growing oil and gas land and accounting firm based in Fort Worth, Texas.
Jason shares his unconventional path into HR — from teaching and coaching to marriage and family therapy, to a chance breakfast with a college roommate that led to this role — and how he leaned into certification and community to close the gap on traditional HR experience. The conversation dives into Valor's deliberate three-step, peer-inclusive hiring process built to filter for "low drama" employees, and how the company extends its culture to a fully remote offshore team in the Philippines without forcing its own office culture onto them.
The episode also covers Valor's paid, rotational internship program, an honest account of an AI rollout that moved faster than the team could absorb, and practical advice on standing out in a hiring process — including literally showing up in person.
What You'll Learn
- How mineral rights ownership works in the US and why it created an entire accounting niche
- What a "landman" actually does day to day, versus the TV portrayal
- How Valor's three-step, peer-involved hiring process protects against workplace drama
- How the company built genuine culture and flexibility for its remote team in the Philippines
- An honest account of what went wrong when Valor moved too fast rolling out AI agents
- Why showing up in person or sending a thoughtful, persistent message can still set a candidate apart
Company Highlights
- Industry: Oil and gas land and accounting services (mineral rights management)
- Customer Base: Private mineral rights owners, concentrated heavily in Texas and the Permian Basin
- Company Stage: 8-year-old company, ~45 employees (35 in the US, 10 in the Philippines), a three-time Inc. 5000 fastest-growing company
- Culture: Low-drama, innovation-driven, and intentionally autonomous
- Focus Areas: Hiring quality and fit, offshore team integration, internship development, and responsible AI adoption
Unique Perks & Programs
- Paid Rotational Internship Program: Interns meet weekly with a different executive and complete a small-group book study alongside real project work
- Peer-Involved Hiring Process: Candidates must get buy-in from future teammates, not just leadership, before receiving an offer
- Thoughtful Offshore Scheduling: Filipino team members share a defined overlap window with US hours, then control the rest of their schedule themselves
- In-Person Offshore Team Gatherings: Leadership traveled to Manila for a two-day conference to build genuine connection with remote employees
- Quarterly Town Halls & Outings: Regular "state of the union" updates paired with team outings
- High Autonomy Culture: A deliberately flat structure with minimal micromanagement, paired with open conversations when workload becomes unsustainable
To learn more about Valor:
Careers Page (They're hiring!)
LinkedIn Page
Jason's LinkedIn
Book Recommendations:
Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect
The Science of Scaling: Grow Your Business Bigger and Faster Than You Think Possible