Etsy CEO Josh Silverman, Chief Legal Officer Colin Stretch, and Chief Human Resources Officer Toni Thompson spoke candidly with CBS's Adina Sterling, the Katherine W. Phillips Associate Professor of Business, as part of the C-Suite Conversation Series. The executives discussed how Etsy's symbiotic partnerships, with emphasis on human connection and adaptability, align and inform the greater vision and values of the company.
Thompson noted that while there is no “textbook way” to build a company's culture, the process begins with a series of guiding principles. At Etsy, those include embracing diversity, minimizing waste, leading with optimism, and committing to continuous learning.
“I think that is really the start: having intention around the type of culture you want to create but then keeping [the principles] top of mind and putting them into the practice of the organization,” Thompson said.
When asked how Etsy's internal culture helps cultivate and maintain its more than 6 million sellers, Silverman highlighted the importance of agency, as well as promoting human-centric approach to leadership between sellers, buyers, and Etsy management.
“The core of Etsy is the human connection that happens when you buy something from someone who made it themselves just for you—the story that comes with that, the friendship that comes with that.”
