Shawn Neumann wants to make the Internet more human.
The web design company he founded in 1996 has grown into an organization with 50 employees and offices in Vancouver, the Fraser Valley, Washington, D.C., and Seattle. Domain7 has also worked on web projects that emphasize social engagement for Telus, Central 1 Credit Union, UBC and Oakridge Centre.
Neumann said the company has previously made the mistake of taking on projects that looked good on paper, but didn’t line up with his company’s values.
It’s the difference, he said, between purpose and success.
“Purpose was always something that was important but I didn’t really reflect or understand how fundamentally critical it was that organizations are purpose-focused,” he said.
Being clear about Domain7’s purpose and mission has meant being more selective about the work the company takes on, which in turn keeps staff engaged and working on projects that are meaningful to them.
The same concept applies to hiring.
The company learned the hard way that while some applicants might have all the right qualifications, if they don’t share the same values as the company, they won’t be a good fit.
“We make sure the individual we’re talking to understands why we’re pursuing the things we are, and we understand as best we can what motivates and drives the individual that’s applying. If there isn’t an overlap there … it’s not going to work.”
Neumann added that the thinking has filtered down to the employees, who daily wrestle with whether projects are a good fit.
