Two Decades of Building Culture Remotely

Summary

What does it take to build a strong company culture when your employees have never shared an office?

In this episode of Culture Architects, David J. Friedman sits down with Dennis Najjar, co-founder of AccountingDepartment.com (ADC), a virtual accounting services company that was embracing remote work long before it became the norm. Dennis shares how he and his business partner, Bill Gerber, built the company from the ground up in 2004, creating a nationwide workforce while staying committed to treating people the right way.

David and Dennis explore the unique challenges of building culture in a fully remote organization, from maintaining personal connections and reinforcing shared values to creating accountability and trust across geographically dispersed teams. Dennis explains how ADC's guiding principles of gratitude, respect, integrity, and teamwork, collectively known as GRIT, have helped shape a culture where employees feel supported and valued.

They also discuss why protecting a company's culture sometimes means making difficult decisions about employees and clients, how strong leadership teams enable sustainable growth, and why doing the right thing for people is ultimately good for business.

Together, David and Dennis offer a practical conversation about building trust, leading remotely, and creating a consistent culture without relying on a traditional office.