There are two immutable laws of business:
1. You don't have to be a big brand to be a great brand.
2. All great brands have one thing in common: an authentic, definable culture.
In Episode 2 of a three-part episode with Joy Gendusa, Founder and CEO of PostcardMania, she dives into how she created a culture and framework so the employees could be as successful as possible.
What happens when a small business starts to scale—and suddenly the thing you built becomes responsible for the livelihoods of dozens, then hundreds, of people?
In Episode 2 of this three-part series, Chris Foster continues his conversation with Joy Gendusa, founder of PostcardMania, about what it took to grow the company into a $100 million business without losing the culture that made it successful.
Joy shares why she never started PostcardMania with a grand vision, why she believes “if you're not growing, you're shrinking,” and how responsibility for her employees became one of the biggest drivers behind the company's growth.
But this episode is really about people and culture.
Joy and Chris explore how to preserve a company's culture as it grows, why hiring is one of the most important responsibilities of a business owner, how to identify people who can thrive within your organization, and why leaders have to create an environment where good people can succeed.
You'll also hear how PostcardMania's culture evolved from a small, highly informal team into an organization of nearly 400 people—while maintaining its emphasis on teamwork, accountability, productivity, customer service, and having fun.
As Joy puts it, culture starts at the top.
What You'll Learn in This Episode:
1. Why action can matter more than having a grand vision
Joy didn't start PostcardMania with a detailed vision for a massive company. She focused on solving the problems directly in front of her and kept moving forward.
2. “If you're not growing, you're shrinking.”
For Joy, growth isn't simply about making more money. Once she had employees depending on the company for their livelihoods, continuing to grow became a responsibility.
3. Production is the basis of morale
Joy explains why being productive affects how she—and the people around her—feel about their work.
4. The challenge of scaling from 7 employees to 11
One of the fascinating moments in the conversation is Joy's realization that the business had suddenly become something much bigger than she had personally experienced before.
5. How to preserve culture as your company grows
The culture that works with four people doesn't automatically survive when you have 40—or 400. Joy explains the principles she established to keep PostcardMania's culture intact.
6. Why hiring is the foundation of culture
Joy believes culture begins with hiring people who genuinely care about the business and want to contribute to something bigger than themselves.
7. Creating a workplace where good people can thrive
Hiring great people is only the beginning. Business owners have a responsibility to create an environment where those people can succeed.
8. The balance between a family culture and a professional culture
PostcardMania has maintained a sense of fun and family while also expecting people to perform at a high level.
9. Teaching employees how the business actually works
Joy talks about her desire for employees to understand profitability and recognize that the health of the company ultimately affects everyone's jobs.
10. Giving employees ownership of the culture
Rather than making culture something that comes only from the founder, Joy expects employees to help protect and carry it forward.
Key Takeaways for Small Business Owners:
- Culture doesn't happen by accident. The founder establishes the principles, but eventually every employee becomes responsible for maintaining them.
- Hire for more than skills. Joy's hiring philosophy focuses heavily on personality, attitude, work ethic, accomplishments, and whether someone will contribute positively to the organization.
- Great employees need the right environment. Finding talented people isn't enough. The owner has to create an environment where those people can thrive.
- Culture and performance can coexist. PostcardMania's culture isn't simply about having fun. Employees are also expected to hold one another accountable, recognize good work, and remain focused on helping customers.
In This Episode
05:00 — Why not knowing everything can sometimes be an advantage
10:45 — Why productivity drives morale
12:40 — The jump from 7 employees to 11
14:00 — Why employees became Joy's motivation to grow
17:45 — No office politics: protecting the culture
19:00 — Making every employee a carrier of the culture
20:00 — The evolution of PostcardMania's workplace culture
26:15 — Hiring for culture
32:00 — How culture extends to the customer
33:40 — Joy's advice for building and protecting culture
35:00 — Organizational structure and defining people's roles
The Big Idea: A company doesn't scale because the founder works harder. It scales when the founder creates a culture, structure, and team that can carry the business forward.
Joy's story illustrates that scaling isn't simply about acquiring more customers or hiring more employees. It's about creating an organization where people understand their roles, care about the outcome, support one another, and understand that their individual success is connected to the success of the company.
And perhaps most importantly, culture has to be intentional.
About Joy Gendusa
Joy Gendusa is the founder of PostcardMania and has built the company from a small startup into a $100 million business serving small businesses across the United States.
This episode is Part 2 of a three-part conversation with Joy about the origin, growth, culture, and evolution of PostcardMania.
Be sure to listen to Episode 1 before this episode—and stay tuned for Episode 3.
Need Help Growing Your Business?
PostcardMania helps small businesses grow through education, marketing, and technology.
From direct mail to digital marketing and integrated campaigns, learn how we can help you reach more customers.
Visit: https://www.postcardmania.com
Looking for more Marketing Education?
PostcardMania has ongoing webinars to help you really learn about marketing - no fluff, just real, practical help so you can better understand how to best grow through marketing that actually works.
Visit: https://www.postcardmania.com/webinars/
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