How Frequence’s Core Values Drive Our Culture

If a strong company culture is important to you, you’re not alone. In a recent survey conducted by the recruiting firm Employ, 88% of workers felt that company culture was an important factor in deciding whether or not to apply for a job with the company. 

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To understand Frequence’s unique culture, it’s important to understand Frequence’s three core values: collaboration, execution, and ownership. At Frequence, our culture is a natural extension of these three elements. And as it turned out, those values were formed in part by the interactions of Frequence’s first team members. Tom Cheli, Frequence CEO, notes that “in a lot of ways, values show themselves.” In the fast-paced environment of Frequence’s early-stage startup years, like-minded team members and leaders quickly developed ways of working - and interpersonal relationships - that showed very positive patterns.

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“The values we talk about weren’t etched in stone,” Tom observes. “The leadership team identified those three tenets - collaboration, execution, and ownership - as we both observed and worked alongside the Frequence team.” 

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But simply putting a name to the core values isn’t enough, Tom believes.

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“As the company grew, we codified what each of those values really means. Execution, for example, was kind of a funny thing for us to put into words, because so many of the Frequence team thought that it was obvious.” But by developing a list of attributes, and making those part of each Frequence member’s development plan, the foundation of the Frequence culture was laid. “Having these attributes helped to really clarify what each of the core values means in practice,” says Tom. “They serve as guideposts.” And for Frequence team members, exploring the many facets of each core value offers some useful insights - and even some surprises. One attribute of Execution, for example, is that one should learn from one’s mistakes - and one also shouldn’t be afraid to fail. 

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Having an innate understanding of collaboration, ownership and execution is crucial to anyone’s professional success, and it’s critical for those looking to join the Frequence team. 

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“Frequence has always had a focus on our people,” says Kate Tucker, head of Frequence’s People Team. “Bringing on top talent is a key priority, and in order to do that we need to make sure that we are engaging with candidates who share our passion for innovation and align with our core values.” Those who are invited into the interview process are likely to be pleasantly surprised. “We've built our recruiting process in a way that allows both the candidates and our teams to have the opportunity to get to know each other and form relationships from the first encounter,” Kate says. “We want everyone who interacts with Frequence, whether that is simply in the application process or someone starting their first day, to have an exceptional experience working with us.”

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Once onboard, the Frequence journey is an exciting and rewarding one. “Every year we're challenged with new problems that are more exciting than the last,” says Ny Nguyen, Frequence’s Technical Art Director. “And the work here that I do at Frequence and the ability to jump into those moments is what keeps me here.” Frequence Product Manager Bence Orlai points to “a collaboration-first mentality” as a key driver for him. “From a cultural standpoint, we’re a very closely-knit team. I feel that this is a place where I can truly make an impact and grow with the company.” And Amit Dar, Frequence’s Head of Engineering, knows the importance of Frequence’s core values to the organizational culture. “Our engineers use these values in our day-to-day work,” says Amit. “For example, we collaborate by encouraging open discussions and emphasizing alignment with each other. We take ownership of the business priorities and team performance. Execution drives results and helps us meet project deadlines and company goals.” 

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Recognizing those who exemplify Frequence’s values is a key part of the Frequence culture. Each year, Frequence team members nominate the three employees who best represent each of the three values. For 2022, the U.S. winners were Harshitha Moka (Collaboration), Colleen Havens (Execution), and Jared Gordon (Ownership). “To me, the Frequence core value of execution entails taking responsibility for your actions, being dependable, and having a mindset focused on achieving results,” Colleen says. Jared agrees, noting that “Frequence's core values of collaboration, execution, and ownership are a motivator and constant reminder of how to operate and deliver the best results for myself, the company, and our clients.” And Harshitha observes that those who receive the Frequence Core Values Award reflect the attitudes and approach of the entire Frequence team. “This award is not just for me, but to every individual who dedicated their time, talent, and unwavering commitment to this collective endeavor,” she says. “Together, we have fostered an environment where collaboration thrives, where ideas are nurtured, and where the sum of our collective efforts exceeds any individual accomplishment.” 

Frequence is a global company, and our core values extend to and are fully embraced by our India team. For 2022,  the India team selected Prabhash Choudary (Execution), Dharmveer Jain (Ownership), and Rupal Mojidra (Collaboration) as the three who best exemplify Frequence’s values. “Winning the award for Ownership core value is a testament to the collective effort and support from my teams and co-workers”, says Dharmveer. “It reflects the collaborative environment where everyone encourages and empowers each other to take ownership of their tasks and contribute to the overall success.” Rupal’s “favorite value of collaboration, and the one that brings me the most joy, is that of the relationships formed by working.” Prabhash sums up Frequence’s collective approach to our core values: "We believe in our ideas and make it happen. We do not leave any stone unturned to accomplish our business goal.”

Tom Cheli points to the actionable nature of Frequence’s core values as the key to the company’s success. “We wanted the core values and their attributes to be the foundation for how our team members went about their work as well as how they interact with others,” Tom says. “For Frequence, it’s not just lip service. The values are only as important as the company makes them.” 

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