Strategy Candy: Strategy | OKR | Product Management30 Jan 2025

Why Culture is Everything: How Peter Forbes Built a SaaS Business Worth Acquiring

Summary: In this episode, Tim sits down with Peter Forbes, founder of HR Onboard, which he grew from a startup into a thriving business acquired by Elmo Software. Peter shares his path from a young developer to a tech entrepreneur, offering insights into what it takes to create a purpose-driven, people-first company. This conversation goes beyond typical startup advice to reveal why a strong company culture is the real game-changer in any business journey. Whether you’re an early-stage founder or a seasoned leader, you’ll learn powerful tips for creating a high-performing team and positioning a business for acquisition. Plus, Tim and Peter dive into how OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) can help pinpoint focus, avoid distractions, and accelerate growth.

Timestamps:

[00:00] – Tim introduces Peter Forbes and the journey of HR Onboard.
[00:02] – Peter’s early days: From developer to entrepreneur.
[00:07] – The importance of freedom, independence, and building a team.
[00:14] – Navigating through a diversified business: Why focus matters.
[00:19] – How to choose your business path based on passion, not profit.
[00:24] – Building a values-driven company: The “Robot, Monkey, Spaceman” framework.
[00:30] – Real talk on hiring and firing: Why alignment with core values is critical.
[00:38] – The power of strategic agility: Adjusting direction without losing focus.
[00:45] – Lessons learned from burnout and the struggle of “doing it all.”
[00:55] – Peter’s next venture: Ensuring payroll compliance across industries.
[00:57] – Tim’s top takeaways and the significance of customer-centered problem-solving.

Guest Bio: Peter Forbes is the founder of HR Onboard, a company he scaled into a successful acquisition by Elmo Software. With a background in software development and deep experience in HR tech, Peter built his business on a foundation of strong company values, customer-centered design, and a relentless focus on culture. A firm believer in keeping things simple, Peter’s journey demonstrates how clarity, purpose, and team alignment can drive sustained growth and long-term success. Now taking a sabbatical, he’s exploring new projects with a focus on payroll compliance tools.

Check the OKR Quickstart site for FREE resources: https://okrquickstart.com/podcast

Follow Tim Newbold:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/timnewbold/

https://www.instagram.com/okr.tim/

Denne episoden er hentet fra en åpen RSS-feed og er ikke publisert av Podme. Den kan derfor inneholde annonser.

Episoder(16)

Eliminating Bad Execution: Making Strategy Work with Daniel Mälsjö

What separates teams that talk about OKRs from those that actually use them to change how they work? In this episode, I sit down with Daniel Mälsjö, founder of FutureWorks, whose mission is simple, el...

18 Nov 202545min

How Atlassian uses OKR to Keep 15,000 People Aligned with Amber Morey-Wu

How does a company of 15,000 people keep strategy, goals, and execution moving in the same rhythm? In this episode, Amber Morey-Wu, Principal Program Manager at Atlassian, takes us behind the curtain....

24 Okt 202551min

OKR with a Mission: Radically grow your Association or Non profit with Juan Sanchez

Juan Sanchez, CIO at Inteleos, joins us to break down how OKRs are powering real change in the nonprofit sector. Inteleos, a global leader in medical certification, is using OKRs not just to track pro...

5 Sep 202555min

How AutoGuru's COO rebuilt their OKR system (and got everyone aligned)

Lucus West, COO at AutoGuru, takes us under the hood of how a disruptive Aussie startup reshaped its approach to goals, strategy, and getting everyone pulling in the same direction. From early OKR cha...

9 Mai 202544min

How to Build OKRs That Actually Drive Change from Day One with Natasha Redman

In this laid-back and insightful crossover episode with Natasha Redman, Tim breaks down what OKRs actually are, why they’re worth the effort—and what most people get completely wrong.From defining mea...

18 Apr 202536min

OKR for Tech Leaders - How they actually work (and where they go wrong) with Andrew Murphy

In this episode, Tim joins Andrew Murphy for a live chat all about making OKRs work in the messy, real world of business—not just the theory.They unpack the early days of OKRs, what makes them powerfu...

11 Apr 202551min

From Opera to OKR: How Storytelling Builds Better Strategy with Mat Lawrence

What do scenic design, customer experience and OKRs have in common? According to Mat Lawrence, everything.In this episode, Tim sits down with Mat—COO at Shippit and former head of props at Opera Austr...

4 Apr 202546min

The Secret to Writing OKRs That Actually Work with Péter Tóth

If you’ve ever struggled to write clear, focused OKRs that actually drive business results, this episode is for you. Tim and Péter break down the biggest mistakes teams make when setting OKRs and shar...

21 Mar 202542min