Legacy Isn’t Just a Line Item

I was on the treadmill last night thinking about legacy, because, of course, that’s when all the good thoughts come. And when we talk about legacy in leadership, we almost always go straight to the numbers: growth, margins, ROI. And listen, that stuff matters. If the business isn’t growing and bringing in revenue, you’re not doing your job.

But that’s not the only thing I want to leave behind.

I think just as often about the culture we’re building at KR Squared, how our people treat one another, how they feel at work, and how they show up for their peers. I want a team that actually enjoys the work and the people doing it alongside them. That doesn’t happen by accident.

Harvard Business School calls culture “the collection of values, beliefs, assumptions, and norms that guide activity and mindset in an organization.” But in real life? It looks like collaboration, mutual respect, and a shared sense of purpose. It’s the vibe in the room when a deadline’s looming but everyone’s still laughing. It’s knowing that when mistakes happen, we’ll learn and keep building. 

Culture shows up in the way we speak to each other, how we handle pressure, and how quick we are to celebrate a teammate’s win. According to HBS, strong culture directly impacts motivation, goal achievement, retention, and even innovation. When people feel safe, seen, and empowered, they take more creative risks. Innovation doesn’t thrive in fear; it grows in trust. And let’s be real: even if you don’t intentionally shape your company culture, one will form anyway. I’d rather be the kind of leader who helps shape it in the right direction.

Not everyone is built for marketing. But for the ones who are, I want this to be the place where they do their best work and have the most fun doing it. So yes, legacy is revenue. But it’s also what people say about their time here. I want mine to be something worth remembering.