February 19, 2025

When the Mission Drives Growh and Culture with Darcie Durham

23 minutes

Tom’s shoes started with the mission of donating a pair of shoes for every pair bought. A powerful mission that attracts a lot of people. However, resonating with the mission is not enough.

To be successful in any organization, one must also naturally operate in a manner that is in alignment with the company’s core values.

What makes this critical to successful hiring is that it gives people the opportunity to thrive from day one. By eliminating most of the friction that is often encountered when the person steps into the new role.

Today, we are going to discuss how one company has been able to stay on mission and elevate their culture. All while experiencing 3x growth.

Guest Bio:

Darcie Durham is the COO/CFO of HTX Labs. Inc. HTX Labs is a fully remote, immersive learning software company that provides immersive XR classrooms on their EMPACT platform for the Department of Defense and others.

In the last 2 years, HTX Labs has experienced rapid growth, tripled in headcount and is experiencing record-breaking performance month over month.

Problem:

Protecting Culture is critical to their momentum

How not to lose culture when you have tripled in size

Values are the core to success with their customers

She joined as employee 26 now at 85 people

Strong culture and very intentional

Fully remote company

Challenge

Being able to articulate culture in a way that people can identify a fit.

Fully remote, meet with a lot of folks, peer interview

Darcie is the final interviewer- how do they tie with the mission

Why is this important to the company?

The foundation of the culture

Two founders are still principals involved in day-to-day

Humble and open to listening to feedback

Embodies open to feedback - we can’t be experts on all things in an emerging field - no one has done this before - have to be okay with making mistakes, owning them, and moving on

Rick’s Nuggets

The Perfect Storm: Growth, Hiring & Culture

Need clouds judgment - the gut needs more evidence

Catch and release

How did we solve the problem?

Talking about mission and values

They don't bring them up in the interview

Mission

Ask why they want to come to work with us?

Do they know what we do? Understand what our product/customer is?

“What do you need in a work environment to feel engaged and excited about coming to work?” - understand the motivation

How do you feel about a remote work environment?

“Something you are proud of or good at that would not come through on a resume?”

“What would people you worked with in the past say are key things to be successful in working with you?” - red flags

Does this person align with our behaviors that would make them successful

On Fire - Driven, hungry, enthusiastic and passionate.

In Touch - Proactive, discerning, intentional, realistic and reflective.

No Fear - Nimble, adaptable, courageous, and willing.

All In - Humble, candid, empathetic, appreciative, giving and welcoming.

Adaptable- We do not have a process for x. Would you like to take a stab at writing it? - screen for comfort in the “gray area” - reinforce throughout interviews and final interview.

Rick’s Nuggets

Tell me about a time when you fixed an issue that was… not assigned to you (driven)

Describe a time when you had to pivot to complete a project (adaptable)

What prompted the pivot?

How did the change affect the outcome

Why was this important to you?

Key Takeaways that the Audience can plug into their business today!

Don't compromise on culture. If you do, correct it quickly!

When you hire people you don't want to work with…. Productivity tanks!

If it’s not a slam dunk it should be a “no” - when we try to make it work, we’re compromising on something

Guest Links

LinkedIn: Darcie Durham

Company: HTX Labs

Facebook: HTX Labs

YouTube: HTX Labs

Host Links:

LinkedIn: Rick Girard

Company: Intertru, Inc.

Podcast: Hire Power Radio Show & Podcast

Book: Healing Career Wounds (Amazon)

...more

View all episodes

By WRKdefined Podcast Network

4.7

3939 ratings

February 19, 2025

When the Mission Drives Growh and Culture with Darcie Durham

23 minutes

Tom’s shoes started with the mission of donating a pair of shoes for every pair bought. A powerful mission that attracts a lot of people. However, resonating with the mission is not enough.

To be successful in any organization, one must also naturally operate in a manner that is in alignment with the company’s core values.

Today, we are going to discuss how one company has been able to stay on mission and elevate their culture. All while experiencing 3x growth.

Guest Bio:

In the last 2 years, HTX Labs has experienced rapid growth, tripled in headcount and is experiencing record-breaking performance month over month.

Problem:

Protecting Culture is critical to their momentum

How not to lose culture when you have tripled in size

Values are the core to success with their customers

She joined as employee 26 now at 85 people

Strong culture and very intentional

Fully remote company

Challenge

Being able to articulate culture in a way that people can identify a fit.

Fully remote, meet with a lot of folks, peer interview

Darcie is the final interviewer- how do they tie with the mission

Why is this important to the company?

The foundation of the culture

Two founders are still principals involved in day-to-day

Humble and open to listening to feedback

Embodies open to feedback - we can’t be experts on all things in an emerging field - no one has done this before - have to be okay with making mistakes, owning them, and moving on

Rick’s Nuggets

The Perfect Storm: Growth, Hiring & Culture

Need clouds judgment - the gut needs more evidence

Catch and release

How did we solve the problem?

Talking about mission and values

They don't bring them up in the interview

Mission

Ask why they want to come to work with us?

Do they know what we do? Understand what our product/customer is?

“What do you need in a work environment to feel engaged and excited about coming to work?” - understand the motivation

How do you feel about a remote work environment?

“Something you are proud of or good at that would not come through on a resume?”

“What would people you worked with in the past say are key things to be successful in working with you?” - red flags

Does this person align with our behaviors that would make them successful

On Fire - Driven, hungry, enthusiastic and passionate.

In Touch - Proactive, discerning, intentional, realistic and reflective.

No Fear - Nimble, adaptable, courageous, and willing.

All In - Humble, candid, empathetic, appreciative, giving and welcoming.

Adaptable- We do not have a process for x. Would you like to take a stab at writing it? - screen for comfort in the “gray area” - reinforce throughout interviews and final interview.

Rick’s Nuggets

Tell me about a time when you fixed an issue that was… not assigned to you (driven)

Describe a time when you had to pivot to complete a project (adaptable)

What prompted the pivot?

How did the change affect the outcome

Why was this important to you?

Key Takeaways that the Audience can plug into their business today!

Don't compromise on culture. If you do, correct it quickly!

When you hire people you don't want to work with…. Productivity tanks!

If it’s not a slam dunk it should be a “no” - when we try to make it work, we’re compromising on something

Guest Links

LinkedIn: Darcie Durham