THE GOODR ECOSYSTEM
Welcome, welcome. We’re excited to kick off Season 3 of the Culture goodr Podcast!!! We hope you’ve got a margarita and notebook in hand, because this season it’s all aboard for a tour of the inner workings of the goodr ecosystem.
goodr Ecosystem graphic with each of the departments in a circle
Ecosystem?! Huh? We know, it sounds kinda weird and unconventional haha (just wait til we start talking about flocks and flamingos…and maybe quokkas?) Honestly though, our ecosystem is an essential part of the how and why we’re able to thrive.
If you dig into the cobwebbed crannies of your brain (the ones that haven’t been fried by [insert vice of choice]) you can probably remember those diagrams from 5th grade science that showed the different elements of an ecosystem all depending on each other and how energy moves through the system with everything being connected. That’s pretty much how we like to think of our organizational structure; our org chart is a circle with a lot of other circles.
Our ecosystem is made up of team members (flamingos) which make up our individual departments (or flocks), each of which has a flock leader. We’ve got twelve flocks in total, plus a group of flock leaders. (Pssst!!! Spoiler alert: we’re SUPER excited to introduce you to our twelve amazing flocks this season.)
We wanted to keep our structure as flat as possible, staying away from the typical giant org chart. Every flamingo is responsible for the success of the brand. Our flocks operate together as a cohesive system. Each flock has clearly defined values, areas of focus, roles, slippery & supportive behaviors. We’re BIG on empowerment and autonomy here. Ownership and accountability are key. Everyone wants autonomy, but doesn't necessarily want accountability. So our ecosystem relies on clear communication, setting clear expectations, and accountability. Just like in nature, our ecosystem is an ever-evolving, living, breathing thing, and everyone’s got an essential job to do.
We didn’t begin at this level of clarity and organization from the start, and it certainly didn’t happen all at once. Be sure to tune in for a deeper exploration to see how this all came together and continues to evolve. (Sorry this blog didn’t involve quokkas, but we HIGHLY recommend looking at photos of them for a few hours instead of doing work.)
Tune in Now: Listen to the Episode Here
Meet the hosts
Stephen Lease is the CEO (Chief Executive Octopus) of goodr and the co-host of the CULTURE goodr Podcast. Since Stephen co-founded the company in 2015, goodr has grown to over 140 employees, with award-winning sunglasses sold in more than 5,000 doors worldwide. Stephen’s spirit animal is an octopus, he’s soul-bonded with a basset hound, and he is 16% flamingo.
Shaun Tinney is the Dean of goodr University (Head of Learning and Development at goodr) and the co-host of the CULTURE goodr podcast. When he’s not helping goodr employees level up their behaviors, he’s writing and performing music. Recently he released his first EP, Living Driven, about the quest for self-reliance, fresh perspective, and creative freedom.
