Day 34: The Company You Keep Shapes the Company You Build

Today marks Day 34 since I requested a copy of a Nextdoor study and have not received a response. Tomorrow will likely be Day 35. I also never received a read receipt from any recipient of my most recent request.

Earlier today, I came across a Facebook Reel from entrepreneur Codie A. Sanchez. One message stood out:

"If you hang around people who have never built anything, you won't build anything."

Another lesson she shared from one of her mentors was that negative mindsets can be contagious and that the people you surround yourself with matter.

That resonated with me.

I'm working to build something from scratch. I'm partnering with Aisha Wells and Alicia Tanksley on A Godd3ss3s Cr3ation, and throughout my career, I've learned a simple lesson:

"I am who I'm with."

That brings me back to Nextdoor.

If you're an employee, advertiser, user, or shareholder, ask yourself what kind of culture you want to be associated with.

A platform that doesn't allow comments on its LinkedIn posts.

A CEO who has blocked a shareholder and former user on LinkedIn.

A straightforward request for a published study that goes unanswered for more than a month by multiple departments.

This isn't about proving I'm right. It's about whether feedback deserves acknowledgment and whether communication is part of a company's culture.

For advertisers, does the company's approach to communication reflect the brands you want to align with?

For users, is this the level of responsiveness you'd expect when you need help?

For shareholders, is acknowledging investor feedback part of good corporate governance?

Culture isn't defined by slogans. It's defined by the actions people experience every day.

What do you think?

Join the discussion on NielFlamm.com.