Vend10 : Year Three — Culture Eats Strategy

Culture eats strategy — that’s what saved us when we didn’t have any strategy. Mel was on board right from the beginning (and even before), and she set the tone for culture at Vend. Friendly, quirky and hard working. Mel can give you more background on exactly how and why.

Mel Rowsell — “Camp Mother”

It’s hard to believe that Vend is 10 years old. I’m humbled to be able to contribute this to the series of blogs, this time looking at people and culture.

I remember very well sitting on the floor of our daughter’s room in Kerikeri when Vaughan said to me “I’ve got an idea but we would need to move back to Auckland”. That idea was Vend. And to say that it’s been a wild ride since that conversation would be an understatement. For context, Vaughan and I were married and separated about six years ago. We remain good friends (maybe better friends than when we were married lol). The family has expanded since then with Vaughan’s new partner Zoe, my new partner Simon and various children all joining the new family.

Any partner of a serial entrepreneur out there will recognise the pattern of doing whatever it takes to get the thing off the ground. As Vaughan’s wife, I was at various times partner trainer, sales consultant, QA tester and customer success agent. As partner trainer in the very early buggy days of Vend, I would have three browsers at the ready in case I found a bug in one, and I’d just quickly jump to another one. It certainly taught me to think on my feet.

However, it was my role as “Camp Mother” that stands out for me. Let’s say I was a lot more successful in that role than my others.

We were all clowns and kids on the inside

Initially, when Vaughan said he wanted me to look after People & Culture, I refused. I’d been burnt from many years in corporate HR and didn’t like all the rules and dogma that surrounded it. We tried to find someone who could do it for us, and just couldn’t find anyone who shared our vision, and so with hesitation, I agreed. I needn’t have worried however as it turned out I could pretty much do whatever seemed right, and I knew Vaughan would support me. In short, I found my own little sandpit to play in. They say work should…