Swiss: a new culture for a new holding

Key takeaways

• It is possible, and strategically advantageous, to build culture before consolidating organizational processes and structures.
• The diversity of the founders' repertoires can be turned into a common identity when worked on from the start of the organization.
• Integrating culture, strategy and structure from the origin reduces the risk of misalignment as the company grows.
• The Culture Matrix functions as a common language to guide decisions, leaders and hires over time.
• Building meaning before building scale is what allows partners, clients and employees to recognize the organization's identity in the future.

The dilemma

Most culture projects are born in organizations that already have thousands of employees, consolidated processes and behaviors settled over the years.

At Swiss Group, the scenario was exactly the opposite.

The company was being created. There was only a small group of executives gathered around an ambitious vision of the future. The ventures were still in development, the organizational areas were being structured and much of the processes did not even exist yet.

The central question was provocative: how do you create a culture for an organization that is still being born?

Although the company did not yet fully exist, people already carried with them experiences, learnings, values and beliefs accumulated over decades in other organizations. The challenge was not to start from scratch, but to turn this diverse repertoire into a common identity capable of guiding the construction of a holding prepared to grow in a consistent and sustainable way.

What we heard

Throughout the process, it became evident that we were not facing a naive dream, but a vision built by leaders who had already taken part in the creation, expansion and transformation of various businesses.

The projected future was grand: an organization with the potential to move billions of reais, serve thousands of clients and generate impact in different regions of the country.

At the same time, we realized that the moment called for something rare: the opportunity to build meaning before the creation of habits, routines and processes.

The executives shared the conviction that future results would depend on the choices made at that founding moment. For this reason, there was a genuine willingness to debate values, purpose, management principles and commitments that should guide the company from its origin.

What we built

Over an eighteen-month project, we developed an integrated journey of culture, strategy and organizational structure.

The work began with the construction of the cultural identity of the holding and its companies, translating strategic aspirations into clear values, behaviors and commitments.

Next, we structured the Culture Matrix, creating a common language capable of guiding decisions, leaders and future hires.

In parallel, we supported the design of the organizational areas, the creation of the first experiences of the employee journey and the modeling of the client journey in the ventures under development.

Through an integrated Human Resources BPO approach, we contributed to the attraction and hiring of the operation’s first employees, ensuring alignment between culture and growth.

At the end of the first cycle, we supported leadership in building the organization’s first Balanced Scorecard (BSC), connecting strategy, indicators and cultural drivers in a single management system.

More than a culture project, the initiative integrated culture, strategy, structure and processes so that the organization could grow coherently from its very first steps.

What it cultivated

Swiss Group is now beginning a new chapter in its trajectory.

The company expanded its teams, brought in new executives, consolidated strategic areas and began planning its presence in other regions of Brazil.

What once existed only as a vision shared by a small group of leaders began to take shape in people, processes, experiences and concrete results.

More importantly, the organization built a cultural foundation capable of sustaining its growth without losing its identity.

The culture that today guides decisions, relationships and strategies was born when the company was still only a possibility. And it is precisely this conscious origin that will allow employees, clients, partners and shareholders to recognize, in the coming years, the value of an organization that decided to build meaning before even building scale.

Frequently asked questions

How do you create organizational culture in a company that is still being founded?

The starting point is the founders' own repertoire: experiences, values and beliefs accumulated in other organizations. The work consists of turning this diverse set into a common identity, with clear values, behaviors and commitments, before habits and routines consolidate unintentionally.

What is the Culture Matrix mentioned in the case?

The Culture Matrix is an instrument developed to create a common language within the organization, capable of guiding decisions, leaders and future hires consistently with the defined cultural identity.

What was the scope of the project carried out with Swiss Group?

The project lasted eighteen months and integrated the construction of cultural identity, the structuring of organizational areas, the modeling of the employee and client journeys, Human Resources BPO and the construction of the holding's first Balanced Scorecard.

What results did Swiss Group achieve after the project?

The company expanded teams, brought in new executives, consolidated strategic areas and began planning expansion into other regions of Brazil, sustained by a cultural foundation built from its origin.