Nick Fehr is co-founder of The Bosco. Nick is mostly responsible for overseeing high-level internal operations, finance, strategy and big-picture vision. Follow him nick@thebosco.com
Recently, YEC spoke with Fehr about his employee management and company culture experience. His best advice is below.
What interview question do you always ask potential hires and why?
It sounds obvious, but asking a candidate what they are looking for is really key. Hiring is a two-way street and this question can reveal a lot about a person. We value and encourage out-of-the-box thinking at The Bosco, so a generic response is generally a good sign that the person may not be the best fit.
What makes your company culture unique?
The Bosco HQ is nestled in the heart of Bushwick, which attracts creative minds from all over the world. With that type of environment, The Bosco’s employees are surrounded by forward thinkers, which helps keep our innovation at the top of its game.
We have a team of extremely talented, hard-working and creative professionals who are passionate about what they do. Inside our warehouse-like HQ, you’ll find dogs running around, large windows that let in a great amount of natural sunlight with views of Manhattan, and friendly faces working hard at the next big thing.
In between meetings, demos, and testing, employees hang out in one of our many break areas or the kitchen where we have a weekly supply of food and drinks. It’s not uncommon for people to change up the pace and grab a laptop and head into our big studio space to work on comfortable couches. Everyone encourages each other to be their best and to make The Bosco the most sought-after photo and video experience company.
How can you make sure team outings or activities appeal as best they can to all employees?
The Bosco has team outings as a way to encourage a tightknit, feel-good office vibe. From long weekend retreats to yacht parties to VR experiences to hack days, there’s no shortage of activities to keep things interesting. Everyone is encouraged to join and socialize with delicious eats and free-flowing conversation.
In keeping with our innovation-based thinking, we encourage employees to suggest upcoming events so everyone gets involved.
What’s your best tip for keeping a personal touch to onboarding and training as you grow?
An employee’s first week here at The Bosco is the most important to us. We want that warm welcome that someone would feel after coming back from a long trip away from home. During that week, an employee can expect a fun lunch with co-workers from other departments to encourage cross-department collaboration and cohesiveness. At the end of that first week, everyone gathers around after hours to celebrate a job well done! Most companies leave onboarding to human resources, whereas at The Bosco, it’s an all-team effort.
What’s one quick, easy way any company at any stage can invest in their company culture?
The Bosco HQ has many designated communal spaces. It allows for people to take breaks together or have small, less formal brainstorm sessions. Our kitchen is a perfect example of a place where you can share a drink and also come up with the next greatest hack or first-to-market idea!
