Each company has its stories, its anecdotes and its memories which leave a lasting mark on its identity. These moments, often spontaneous or carefully orchestrated, shape culture, motivate teams and define what the company really is. We could call them “founding moments”: these events or decisions which, sometimes invisible to the outside world, create memorable benchmarks for those who build the company on a daily basis.
What is a founding moment?
A founding moment is not necessarily a spectacular fundraising or a globally publicized product launch. It can be much more subtle: a difficult but fair decision, a symbolic gesture of recognition, a meeting that changes the company culture or a successful pilot project that opens up new perspectives.
What these moments have in common is that they create a reference point for the company’s history. They become anecdotes told, examples cited and benchmarks to guide future behavior. It is in these moments that the company crystallizes its values and ambitions, and that employees recognize themselves in a shared identity.
Why founding moments matter
The daily life of a company is often punctuated by operational tasks and short-term decisions. In this flurry of activity, it is easy for culture and values to become diluted. Founding moments play a beacon role: they give meaning, create pride and inspire commitment.
They also serve to strengthen the collective memory of the company. An anecdote about a successful project, a daring initiative or an act of solidarity becomes a reference for following generations. These moments allow teams to feel connected to a larger story, giving each daily effort meaning and perspective.
How are these moments born?
Some founding moments arise spontaneously, like a collective reaction to a challenge or crisis. Others are intentionally created by leaders. In both cases, three characteristics seem essential: authenticity, emotional impact and repeatability.
Authenticity: The moment must sincerely reflect the company’s values. An artificial celebration or a gesture disconnected from daily reality will have no lasting effect.
Emotional impact: founding moments mark because they touch emotions. They provoke pride, admiration or even humility. Emotion transforms a banal event into a lasting memory.
Repeatability: certain founding moments serve as models for the future. A courageous initiative or a right decision becomes a benchmark for what is expected, encouraging the repetition of positive behaviors.
Concrete examples
In many companies, founding moments are told like cult anecdotes. At Zappos, the customer service policy was defined by concrete situations where employees took exceptional initiatives to satisfy a customer. These stories have become internal legends, illustrating what “put the customer at the center”.
At Airbnb, a founding moment was the decision to refuse funding that would have compromised the company’s values. This bold and risky choice consolidated the culture and inspired the teams to prioritize vision and consistency over immediate gain.
Even in more modest companies, simple gestures can become foundational: offering public recognition to an employee who saved a project, organizing a collective moment to celebrate a key milestone or transforming a failure into shared learning. These moments are often more powerful than any official communication.
The role of the leader in creating founding moments
Leaders have a central role in creating and valuing these moments. Their sensitivity to symbolic gestures, their ability to respond authentically, and their attention to detail can transform an ordinary decision into a memorable moment.
For example, taking the time to write a personal message to a team after a difficult period, publicly congratulating courageous initiatives or deciding to support a daring project despite the risk can become a founding benchmark. The teams take these actions as concrete proof of what the company really stands for.
Exemplarity is essential here. Leaders who embody company values in their daily micro-decisions lay the foundation for seminal moments that ripple throughout the organization.
The importance of storytelling
A founding moment only fully exists if it is told and shared. Narration transforms a one-off event into an internal legend. Leaders can encourage teams to share experiences, document successes and learnings, and collectively celebrate these moments.
Rituals – whether meetings, internal newsletters or informal sessions – help sustain these moments and integrate them into the culture. The more they are told, the more they become benchmarks to guide future behavior.
Founding moments and team cohesion
These moments play a key role in team cohesion and commitment. They create shared memories, strengthen collective identity and allow employees to feel connected to something bigger than their daily tasks.
A team that has experienced a founding moment together – whether it is a resounding success or a challenge overcome – develops lasting solidarity. These common experiences become reference points for future decisions and a common language that transcends hierarchies.
Create foundational moments in daily life
While certain moments arise spontaneously, it is possible to create them intentionally. Some ideas for leaders:
- Celebrate small victories: don’t wait for monumental successes to recognize efforts. Each step taken deserves a symbolic gesture.
- Value courage and audacity: initiatives that are risky but aligned with values must be recognized, whether they succeed or not.
- Share failures as learning: transform setbacks into founding moments by analyzing them collectively and promoting the lessons learned.
- Create rituals: Foundational moments are strengthened when they are repeated or ritualized, such as an annual meeting, a team event or a celebration of a key project.
- Be attentive to symbolic gestures: micro-actions by leaders, such as a message of recognition or a decision consistent with values, can become founding moments if they are visible and told.
The strategic impact of founding moments
Beyond culture and engagement, founding moments have a direct impact on performance. They encourage initiative, promote measured risk-taking and strengthen internal confidence. They become a benchmark in periods of uncertainty, guiding teams towards behaviors aligned with the company’s vision.
Founding moments also create an intangible competitive advantage: a strong culture, nourished by founding moments, attracts talent, retains employees and inspires customers. These moments become an integral part of the company’s DNA, difficult to copy by competitors.
