Is the culture of an organization really important? Here at Taylor Studios we think so. We take pride in our culture, we refer to it when we draft proposals, we brag about it when we meet with clients, we even suggest that it will come through in our designs- and we assume that’s a good thing. Is it? What is the culture here at TSI?

We base our culture on our core values: Profitability, Relationships, Improvement, Societal Value, and Honesty and Integrity. While I could talk about all of these in depth, for now I’d like to talk about how our core value of building Relationships creates value throughout our process, and how it fits into our culture.

At first glance, our culture might seem a bit unusual. We don’t have a “typical” corporate culture if you judge by how we dress or act. Sandals, shorts and t-shirts are pretty common. We do fun things at work- fabricators repurpose old exhibit pieces into their workspaces. Designers make silly drawings on our whiteboards and showcase our work in unique ways. We have barbeques, and we spend time with one another outside of work, strengthening the working relationships at TSI internally.

We also enjoy who we work with outside of TSI. We try to make subcontractors feel welcome while they’re here. We seek to build relationships that are founded on trust, respect, and fun. I believe we can afford to have fun with our clients and partners because honestly, we’re good at what we do. We know when to knuckle down and do the work, and enjoy doing it. That is the TSI culture. We have fun, work incredibly hard, build trust with our clients and partners, and enjoy the process. Hopefully, that comes out in our work, and how we work with others outside of TSI. I believe our designs are fun and exciting, and the relationships developed along the way last as long than the designs themselves. That’s what keeps our clients coming back to us.

Our culture is what identifies us, but is it important to our clients? Betty has recently been asking all employees how we can add value to our work for our clients. I think our culture adds value. I know that most of us don’t leave our work at the office. We often talk about having inspiration at odd times. I get texts and emails at late hours from co-workers about things that inspire them or they think could benefit a project they’re working on. Sometimes they’re just for fun, but often those ideas make their way into a design. I carpool with Kristina, one of our graphic designers. Some days we spend the whole 30 minute drive talking about a project we’re both on because we’re excited about it or have an issue we need to work out. Many of those discussions have a direct impact in our projects.

Our clients aren’t billed for our enthusiasm, or the fact that the team assigned to their project probably thinks about it almost 24 hours a day to some degree. The ideas, sketches, exhibits and inspiration are a result of our enjoyment in what we do, and it’s part of what you get when you choose a TSI exhibit. Our product is better as a result of our passion for what we do, and our culture facilitates that passion.