— AUGUST 9TH, 2026 —

BUILD A COMPANY WORTH CHOOSING

When I think about building a company from the ground up, I want people who’ll stick with me through the hard seasons. I want people who believe in the vision, care about what we’re creating, and stay engaged when the path gets messy. Lots of founders call that loyalty.

I've come to think that's the wrong word.

Loyalty is something I deeply value in friendships, family, and the relationships that shape who we become. But inside a company, loyalty can become an expectation people feel they can't challenge. It can make disagreement feel personal and make leaving feel like betrayal. And worst of all, it can keep people from telling us the truth when our company needs it most.

Great companies don't ask people to stay. They give people reasons to keep choosing the company. When people understand the standards we’ve agreed to, see how those standards connect to our Core Values, and feel trusted to speak up, they’re more likely to stay engaged.

Read more in Why Founders Should Stop Asking for Employee Loyalty (And What To Ask For Instead).

The strongest companies give people reasons to choose them again and again.

PERSPECTIVES

“If there is more truth in the hallways than in meetings, you have a problem." — Ed Catmull, Co-Founder of Pixar

MARK MY WORDS

One of the things I admire most about the New Zealand All Blacks rugby team is their belief that no one owns the jersey. You're trusted with it for a while, and it’s your responsibility to leave it in a better place than you found it.

I've always believed that's how we should think about building companies.

Nobody owns a Seat forever. Every one of us is entrusted with the opportunity to contribute while we're here. That's why belonging shouldn't come from tenure, proximity to the founder, or simply staying the longest. It should be earned through contribution, character, and a genuine commitment to helping the company become better.

When someone decides it's time for a new chapter, that shouldn't feel like betrayal. If they helped strengthen the company while they were there and left the Seat better than they found it, they honored the trust that was placed in them.

That's the kind of culture I'm trying to build. A company people are proud to be part of, whether they're here for 3 years or 30.

ON THE CALENDAR

2026 EOS Conference Asia-Pacific

August 28, 2026 | Sydney, Australia

Ninety is proud to sponsor this year’s EOS® Conference Asia-Pacific, bringing together hundreds of founders and leaders who are focused on building stronger companies.

Our team will be there in person at Royal Randwick Racecourse. If you’re attending, come say hello and tell us what you’re building.

[Meet us there]

ONE MORE FOR THE ROAD

In case you missed it, here’s more from Founder’s Framework:

Agreement: The Missing Link in Performance Management

Care without clarity leaves people guessing. If you want people to take ownership, they need clear agreements about what success looks like.

In this article for Training Magazine, I share how agreement-based leadership creates accountability without micromanagement and helps people contribute with more confidence.

[Read Now]

The strongest cultures aren't built on loyalty. They're built on creating a place people look forward to showing up every day.