As a job candidate, I looked for a new role in a company with a strong, positive and fun culture. I’ve been at 9fin for more than 4 months now and can confirm, first-hand, just how unique 9fin’s culture is. In this blog post I explore how we foster our culture and what makes it so special.

How we foster our culture at 9fin

Before we designed, built, hired or even named 9fin, we created the 11 values. A set of principles informed by some less-than-ideal past experiences and how we wanted to do things differently

-Steven Hunter, CEO & Founder

Our culture is fostered through our 11 core values, which were created by Steven and Huss before the company was even given a name. These values guide everything we do, from designing and building our products to hiring new employees. Our values include things like "Don’t know? Say so," "Diversity," and "Family & health come first," and they are deeply ingrained in our company culture. We believe that by upholding these values, we can create a positive and collaborative work environment that encourages growth and innovation.

Why we care about company culture

Great company culture makes for a stronger company overall. According to McKinsey, there are a few key reasons why culture matters:

1. Performance. Culture is inextricably linked with performance, so much so that companies with top-ranked cultures see a 60-200% higher return to shareholders. We also know that unhealthy cultures have a lasting effect on people and companies. At 9fin, we want to build an environment where our people can thrive and lead happy working lives.
2. Adaptability. Organisations with strong cultures are able to thrive during times of change. On the other hand, organisations with weak cultures struggle to adapt. As a scaling start-up, it is important that we build a culture where our people can be resilient to the changes that come with rapid growth.
3. Originality. Having a strong culture that is original and genuine is one of the most important advantages in this competitive candidate environment. Candidates want to be part of genuine company cultures.

We understand that candidates want to work for a company with a great culture. We recently asked 19 new joiners what influenced their decision to accept an offer from 9fin, and an overwhelming majority said that 9fin’s culture and people had a high influence on their decision

We also have company-wide statistics from our bi-annual employee engagement survey to show this. 91% of the company participated in the survey. One of our highest-scoring questions was that on “Organisational Fit, where we asked, “I talk up 9fin to my friends as a great place to work.” This question scored 88 out of 100, showing that a vast majority of 9finners speak highly of 9fin.

What makes 9fin’s culture unique

After joining 9fin, I conducted a series of interviews with employees to understand the current state of the company. I wanted to learn about pain points, successes, and unique components of 9fin's cultural makeup to map out the employee experience. With the help of my manager, Megan Trotter, I found several key areas that 9finners say make 9fin unique, which I’ve laid out below:

1. We’re a scale-up, innovative fintech 🚀
2. There’s the opportunity for immediate impact 👊
3. Our success 🔥
4. Our ways of working 🤝
5. Our focus on career progression 🪴
6. Our emphasis on work-life balance 🧘‍♂️
7. Our people 👥

Scale-up, innovative fin-tech 🚀

One of the reasonswhypeople love working at 9fin is because of our focus on innovation in the finance technology (or ‘fin-tech’) industry. As a scale-up, 9fin is able to bring new and exciting technologies to an older industry, creating a unique environment that's constantly changing.

Having impact 👊

9finners feel they have the opportunity to make an immediate impact. This is not something you can find in many companies, making 9fin a great place to work for those who want to be heard and be part of product development.

Our success 🔥

Our 9finners said they feel excited to work for a company that is achieving great success and growth.. The business case and product are seen as clear wins, and the energy and excitement surrounding 9fin are appealing to potential candidates. The company is growing rapidly, with weeks where 2 or 3 people are joining, and 9fin has recently moved to the US and received Series A+ funding.

Our ways of working 🤝

We have a unique way of working, which emphasises trust, autonomy, and personal relationships with senior leaders. Employees are not micro-managed and have full autonomy to do their work, which fosters a sense of ownership and responsibility. Additionally, our culture is not hierarchal, which allows for greater collaboration and communication among team members. People can have very personal relationships with senior leaders like Steven (CEO) and Huss (CTO).

Career progression 🪴

At 9fin, people can grow their careers quickly thanks to the company's focus on professional development. With the help of 9Grow, our career progression framework, employees have the opportunity to develop both personally and professionally. We also hire many junior people and train them up, which means that people know they can learn and progress quickly since the company is growing rapidly.

Work-life balance 🧘‍♂️

We put lots of emphasis on work-life balance. With the flexibility to pop in and out when needed and no one watching over you, 9finners can maintain a healthy work-life balance. This is particularly appealing compared to large corporations where work-life balance may not be a priority.

The people 👥

Last but not least - we’re unique because of our people. We have a high caliber of talent who are genuinely kind, diverse and friendly, creating a supportive and inclusive work environment. Check out some of our 9finners below from our recent summer socials!

I’m excited to be part of 9fin and continue fostering its culture

9fin is a company with a unique and positive culture that fosters growth, collaboration, and innovation. This culture is shown by our emphasis on innovation, allowing 9finners to make an immediate impact. We value work-life balance, professional development, and personal relationships with senior leaders. As we continue to grow and scale, we stay grounded in these behaviours that are closely tied to our core values.

As a new(er) member of the 9fin team, I am incredibly excited to be part of a company with such a unique and positive culture. The emphasis on innovation, collaboration, and career growth makes every day different and full of learning. I appreciate our focus on work-life balance and professional development, which allows me to grow both personally and professionally. Being part of a company and People team that values its employees and fosters a supportive and inclusive work environment is refreshing, and I can't wait to see what we accomplish in the future.

💙 Love what we’re building at 9fin? Get in touch to find out about our open roles