In this episode of Culture Uncovered, Jena Dunay sits down with Jane Viventi, Head of People and Operations at Brand Builders Group, to explore what it's like to build culture at a Nashville-based personal branding firm founded on the belief that everyone is uniquely positioned to serve the person they once were.
Jane shares the origin story of Brand Builders Group — born out of a career setback for co-founders AJ and Rory Vaden, and accelerated by a single, trust-driven podcast mention from a friend. The conversation dives into what it means to build a genuinely "chosen family" culture without falling into the pitfalls that phrase can carry, how the company approaches recognition through a taco-based system and personal bucket-list rewards, and why growth at BBG is framed as a "jungle gym" rather than a ladder.
The episode also covers the company's remote-first structure balanced with intentional in-person gatherings, its new Growth Fund for employee learning, and an honest look at the internal communication challenges that come with rapid, ambitious growth.
What You'll Learn
How Brand Builders Group was founded after a career setback and a single trusted podcast recommendation
What it means to be "most uniquely positioned to serve the person you once were"
How BBG builds a "chosen family" culture while still respecting people who just want to clock in and out
How the HeyTaco recognition platform and new "Pins of Impact" program work in practice
Why BBG frames career growth as a "jungle gym" instead of a traditional ladder
What internal communication challenges look like at a fast-growing, mission-driven company
Company Highlights
Industry: Personal brand strategy and coaching
Customer Base: Authors, speakers, coaches, and entrepreneurs looking to clarify and monetize their personal brand
Company Stage: 8-year-old company (founded 2018), ~40 full-time employees, remote-first with a Nashville home base
Culture: Purpose-driven, human-first, and intentionally described as a "chosen family"
Focus Areas: Personal brand development, client community, service, and intentional (not rapid) company growth
Unique Perks & Programs
HeyTaco Recognition System: Daily peer-to-peer recognition redeemable for real value through an internal "taco shop"
Pins of Impact: A new program where earned pins unlock company-funded contributions toward an employee's personal bucket list
Company-Wide Milestone Trips: Full-company (plus spouses and kids) trips awarded at every $5 million revenue milestone
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