How to Co-Create Culture: Why the Best Companies Listen at Every Level

When it comes to building a successful business, where does culture truly begin? 

Many argue it flows from the top, but Tim Peterson, President and CEO of Speir Digital and a fractional CMO who has worked with global brands like Marriott and Nature's Bounty, disagrees. 

On a recent episode of B2B Business Class, Tim explained his philosophy on culture, how legacy businesses can embrace change, and why picking fights in the LinkedIn comments is his most effective marketing strategy.

The Culture-Creation Myth

Tim challenges the idea that culture is exclusively dictated by the C-suite. 

Instead, he views culture as something that is constantly being generated at every level of the organization.

“The folks who think that it doesn't flow from the top aren't necessarily wrong. I just don't think that they're looking at it the right way,” Tim argued.

He used a TikTok analogy, pointing out that trends don't start at the top. Leaders respond to ideas and energy that have already surfaced among the people. 

Tim suggested that the C-suite's job is not to create culture from scratch, but to recognize and nurture the one that's already growing.

“There's always culture generation, and you have to recognize that there's culture generation that's happening at every level, and then make it match [and] meet somewhere,” he said.

This focus on the internal drive of a business, not just the personality of a visionary founder, is what allows successful companies to thrive.

Lessons from 130 Years of Change

Tim's work with companies like Hobart, a 130-year-old global brand known for its commercial kitchen equipment found everywhere from local diners to cruise ships, highlights the necessity of openness to change.

“[Hobart], as a very old traditional company, remained open to change. Open to change. That is a big, big thing,” Tim explains.

He pointed out that Hobart didn't say, “We only make mixers.”

They looked at their core business, food service equipment, and expanded into every logical direction, like building complex technical e-commerce portals to service 70-plus kitchens on a single cruise ship.

For smaller businesses, the lesson is simple: don't be limited by your current niche.

“You may start somewhere that's incredibly specific, but you can never really be bound just by that if you want to continue to grow or continue to be relevant,” Tim advised.

Preserving Culture During Rapid Growth

When a company grows from a regional business to a global one, like Marriott, it's common for long-time employees to feel a sense of loss. 

Tim said that people often confuse growth with “a loss,” when in fact, it's just a different way of doing the same thing, expanding on the steady evolution of the hotel industry to reinforce his point.

“The consistency in the experience is critical, but you can always improve the bed,” he noted. “You can change from a key that goes in your door to a keyless entry with your phone, and you're actually improving service through the eyes of most people.”.

To mitigate that feeling of loss during growth or an acquisition, Tim suggested proactively maintaining traditions and fostering smaller communities within the larger organization.

“Don't stop being together with other people. Figure out how to have mixers. Figure out how to do things online or off," he recommended, establishing a cultural pillar that allows employees to “stay small while they're big.”

The Unique Power of the LinkedIn Comment

In a world where everyone is told to create content, Tim has built a personal brand with staggering reach by exclusively writing engaging, provocative comments on other people's posts.

“I've had comments that go up to over 40,000 impressions… not a post, but just a comment,” Tim shared, explaining that this approach attracts attention from people at his executive level.

His philosophy is not to manufacture drama, but to inject humor and say the “quiet part out loud” on controversial topics where others “play safe.” Tim did allow that because he's at a low-risk point in his career, he's able to push for the right take on things.

“I am just trying to say things that I can say... It's very low risk for me to stir the pot,” he noted, adding that the attention he gains often leads to new business relationships.

Tim’s two decades of experience on LinkedIn allow him to recognize when to drop a witty, sometimes boundary-pushing comment, such as his viral take on a ridiculous hotel swimsuit debate.

This strategy helps him gain massive engagement without spending hours crafting long-form content.

“I probably got 30,000 impressions on a comment like that because it was just the right moment in a weirdly controversial topic,” Tim said. “And I got tons of people who reached out afterwards, saying, “Oh my God, that was great. Now let's talk about business.”

For more insights from Tim Peterson, you can listen to this episode of B2B Business Class on Spotify, Apple, or wherever you get your favorite podcasts.