At Hunter Crown, we’re in the business of connecting people—specifically, great people with water and wastewater technology companies doing vital work. One of the most misunderstood aspects of building and scaling teams is the concept of culture. Many companies talk about “owning” or “protecting” their culture like it’s a piece of intellectual property. But let’s be clear: companies don’t own culture, the people do!
What a company can own are its values. Values are the principles and standards that form the bedrock of decision-making. At Hunter Crown, we value transparency, accountability, and long-term relationships. These values don’t shift when someone new joins our team or when the market gets weird. They’re intentional and stable. You can post them on the wall or write them into an employee handbook, and they remain consistent. That’s what makes them effective.
Culture, however, is something else entirely. Culture is how people behave, communicate, celebrate, confront conflict, support each other, and adapt—and all of that is fluid. It’s a function of the people, their personalities, their experiences, and yes, the times we live in. Values are a gatekeeper (helping you hire the right people) and a sounding board (guiding you through difficult decisions), but culture is created in motion, not by decree.
I’ve seen this firsthand. At Hunter Crown, our values have remained steady over the years, but the culture has evolved with every new hire. When we added a recruiter with a background in environmental policy, we found ourselves having deeper conversations about climate and sustainability. When we brought in a LinkedIn community manager with a background in the arts, our branding took on a more human and creative tone. Neither of these changes came from a strategy session—they came from people.
So what does this mean for someone considering a career move?
It means you need to pay attention to both the values and the culture of a company. They are related but different. Shared values will tell you whether you’re likely to align with the company’s direction and purpose. But culture will tell you how it feels to live those values day in and day out—and that can vary wildly.
Here’s an example: Two companies might list “collaboration” as a core value. But at one company, collaboration might mean structured brainstorming sessions, open Slack channels, and daily standups. At another, it might mean long email threads, occasional team meetings, and a more independent workflow. The value is the same, but the culture around how that value is practiced is very different. And that difference matters.
If you're evaluating your next professional step, don’t just read the mission statement or browse the website. Ask about how the company handles conflict. Listen to how people describe their coworkers. Get curious about how leadership adapts when things don’t go according to plan.
Because the company might own its values—but the culture you’re stepping into will be shaped by the people you work with. And if you’re one of them, that means it’ll be shaped by you, too.
Written by: Austin Meyermann, Founder and President of Hunter Crown, LLC
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