Wefunder Blog

How Wefunder Works

founder @ Wefunder

Published on Feb 19, 2020

Working here is different than most jobs. We’re a great training ground if you’d like to start your own company. We’re also a great place to be if you’d like to ‘punch above your pay grade’ and learn a ton. But the flip side is that it’s a little chaotic and it’s up to you to take initiative. We’re a collection of founder-types (even if you don’t know it yet) and weirdos that strive to accomplish something great, together. 

Here is the culture we aspire to build together:

The Charter is the North Star. We’re here to fix capitalism - to create more wealth and spread it around more fairly. We inspire founders to take their shot, to be the best versions of themselves. We help everyone - not just the wealthy - vote with their dollars on what our society should invest in.

Be a leader. Think like a founder. It doesn’t matter how junior one is; we only hire those with the potential to become a leader. Take ownership. Roll up your sleeves. Lead by example. Inspire and celebrate those around you. Help the team become a little better each day.

Just do it. Default to action. Take initiative. Ask for forgiveness instead of permission (for Type I decisions). Brainstorm and collaborate, but don’t over-plan or over-think or over-debate; truth is found in the real world, not our heads. The answer to any problem is found with our users, not our egos. Maximize learning with speed of action.

Take risks & fail fast. Most risks are not risks; failure has little consequence beyond our ego. Celebrate those who try something new and fail - that means we learned something. For any new idea, start with a toy version, get data, iterate, and be honest if it's working.

Strive for great work that others copy. Great artists ship. It’s good to move fast and push out a basic first version. It’s good to tackle something hard and beyond your ‘pay grade’ that stretches your skills. But then relentlessly improve. Don’t settle for mediocrity; we lead this industry. Make us worthy of being copied.

Be your authentic & weird self. We hire a lot of weirdoes. Don’t be afraid to show others who you truly are. Help others be their true selves by assuming good intentions. If something is said that you feel is wrong, work it out like empathetic adults, one-on-one, and learn from each other.

Build trust in the team. If we trust each other, we’ll move faster, and our cultural values will remain true. Take every opportunity to earn trust. But also give others the chance to build trust. Hand over responsibility and believe in them to do the right thing.

Do the right thing. Pay the cost. Values are only values if we hold true to them when it is hard. Always do the right thing for founders, investors, and our team, even if it hurts our results in the short-term. We are here to maximize long-term impact; that comes from doing right by people.

Go 5 levels deeper. We are tinkering with the underlying ingredients of capitalism. It's complex. Dig past superficial answers. Ask the '5 whys' to get to the root of any problem. Understand the trade-offs of any solution.

Be insatiably curious. Ask questions. Be curious about things beyond your exact job, even Wefunder itself. Like to geek out on Roman history? Cool! It’ll help us all be happier, more effective humans. It'll also help us recruit smarter people and build better product.

Talk like a human. How would you talk to a smart friend? Talk to our users like that. The Wefunder brand is us. Don't use meaningless corporate-flunky-language. Don’t mimic a boring finance dude. Be authentically you.

Use our power to inspire, not suppress. We use the full force of our power to support the causes in our Charter. But we don't use it to suppress those we disagree with. Our moral judgements on ideas don't determine who gets funded on Wefunder; society votes with their dollars.

Be a Zombie Killer. When things get tough, dig in and fight. Don’t be the bait the Zombies eat first. Be the bad-ass leader the rest of the team depends on to survive.

Take your shot. Life is short. We are all going to die. We get out of life whatever we put into it. We grow as fast as the number of risks we take and fears we confront. Don’t waste the moment. Make this period of your life worthy of a story to tell your great-grandkids.

Invest in each other. Care about the growth of those around you as much as you care about your own. Operate with no ego; ask for feedback and give it often. Take time and energy to level up the people around you, regardless of their position or team.

Friends don't let friends burn out. This is a marathon. When everything is on the line, rise to the occasion. But rest afterwards. We can operate at peak intensity for only so long before we lose effectiveness. When one of us burns out, the entire team is harmed.