Setting Our Foundation: Culture First at Elevenscale

Welcome to the Elevenscale blog. This is both my first post in the Founder’s Perspective series of our blog and the first post overall for Elevenscale. I chose this as my (and the company’s) first post because of its importance to me as the founder of the company and the significance to our company’s identity and culture.

First and foremost, we must acknowledge that as a small startup company, our resources are not endless. Therefore, we must be intentional about how and where we focus both our company’s resources as well as our own. We have one chance to get things right and building a business on a shaky culture feels like an inappropriate tradeoff.

The type of company we are and the products we make, may change. Today, the world is all about Artificial Intelligence. Yesterday, crypto was the ‘it’ thing, and tomorrow… well, who really knows? Some of the most educated guesses five years ago would have completely missed the AI boom. Companies that long endured near-monopolies that failed to adapt have disappeared or are only a shadow of their former selves. Established companies are changing their business models and startups are known for their nimbleness and ability to quickly pivot: taking advantage of market shifts. In the words of Heraclitus, “The only thing that is constant is change”. We too must acknowledge and accept that constant. The business… is transient, whereas our culture is enduring.

Consequently, at Elevenscale, we’re not just building a business—we must build a culture first. One that puts people first, encourages openness, and supports a healthy balance between ambition and personal well-being. A place where employees feel genuinely valued and take pride in their work. Every individual who joins us brings something unique to the table, and we’re intentional about recognizing those contributions. Whether it’s an idea that sparks innovation, a silent act of leadership, or day-to-day excellence—your contribution matters here.

For my entire career, my preference has been to work for smaller companies. I always felt employees of large corporations are just numbers to someone two levels above them– in other words, to your boss you may be a superstar, but to their boss you’re just another member of the team. This is a problem I don’t have an answer for, except to say that as a small company we don’t have that problem – we can measure each other’s work directly.

Equally important is fostering a culture of openness. We believe great ideas come from everywhere, not just the top. We encourage candid conversations, welcome differing perspectives, and create space for everyone to speak up and be heard. That kind of environment doesn’t just build trust—it drives better outcomes. My greatest responsibility as the founder and CEO is to get out of my people’s way. I hired each person because of who they are and strengths I see in them. I support them, I share with them, and I lead them, but most importantly I trust them. What I do not do is get in their way with unnecessary control. If I can properly communicate my vision, intentions and expectations, I can step aside to allow them to figure out the ‘how’ out for themselves.

Finally, as a small company, we work hard. We have to! We’re motivated by purpose and united by a shared commitment to excellence. But we also believe that work should fit into life, not the other way around. We strive to create a culture where our success is sustainable—where our people feel proud of what they’re building and supported in their lives outside of work.

We’re growing, we’re learning, and we’re still evolving. But our foundation is clear: value people, encourage openness, and protect balance. That’s the culture we’re building—together.

-Adam

--About Elevenscale--

Elevenscale is a technology company specializing in software, artificial intelligence, data analytics, and enterprise solutions that help organizations operate more efficiently and scale faster. With a focus on innovation and impact, Elevenscale creates intelligent, adaptable solutions designed to solve complex, multi-step business problems across the enterprise.