Viral TikTok Brand Craftmix Shares Recipe For 100% Employee Retention

Earlier this year, the consumer packaged goods beverage company Craftmix went viral on TikTok due to an absolute masterclass of a PR response to an influencer who reacted negatively to their product. As their presence has ballooned to over 250,000 followers, one thing that followers noticed was the zeal with which employees promoted the product. Employees as brand ambassadors is a growing trend — we've seen an uptick of personalized CEO videos on LinkedIn, for example — and Craftmix's people shone. There's a reason for that, and it all comes down to great leadership from Craftmix CEO and founder, Jake Tannenbaum.

Tannenbaum shared that each of Craftmix's five full-time hires have remained with the company for the full duration of its two-year history — a 100% employee retention rate. Much of that has to do with Tannenbaum's philosophy toward management and designing flexible workplaces. Craftmix employees have no set hours, no time zone requirements for collaboration, and no mandatory work locations. "I've got a digital nomad, and I couldn't care less — because that's not what it's about," says Tannenbaum. "It's not about having a rigid workplace where people need to be online at certain times. I never even check if people are working. I let them choose the schedule that works for them because then they're going to be more energetic in doing their work."

This flexibility is supported by extreme levels of trust. In fact, building trust can cut employee turnover by half. "At the end of the day, trust is a two-way street," says Tannenbaum. "I trust them so much to get the job done. Everyone that works at the company I'm so overjoyed with because of how much they care, and how good of a job they do. They're rockstars, and I trust them with my life." That trust is the largest driver of Tannenbaum's policy of extreme flexibility. "I have an exceptional team, but I've come to the brutal truth that most of the people you hire are not going to do a good job. They don't care to do a good or bad job because they just see it as income. That's when the employer has to be more strict. When the employer becomes more strict, it makes people want to work even less." In short, it's a vicious cycle.

When asked what responsibility companies have toward the people who work for them, Tannenbaum was quick to answer. "I think it's two things. Leadership comes from the top — it's about inspiring your people and being there for them when they need you. But what puts me in a different position than most CEOs is that I have done everything from this company ground up." That gives Tannenbaum insight into what each position does. Often, as companies scale, leaders become increasingly separate from the employees who interact with their customers and do the core work. They become less effective. "Knowing about every part of your business as a leader is important," stresses Tannenbaum.

Three tips for building an incredible workplace culture

1: Respect the abilities of the talent you recruit

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"One of the first things I say to people when they walk in the door is that it's a level playing field, and the reason that we onboarded you is because we need help in your field. So don't feel like you don't have a voice — because you do," says Tannenbaum.

2: Make sure everyone is aligned with the mission

"My marketing director says that everyone is in the same boat, and we all need to be rowing in the same direction. Bad attitude or a lack of teamwork are all things that row in the wrong direction." Hiring people who are passionate about the product and mission keeps everyone rowing in sync.

3: Coach leaders on how to be available and approachable

Tannenbaum recounted a story of a prior workplace where management was so unapproachable that he and others ended up never engaging with leadership. That dynamic meant both sides missed out. Instead, create a supportive environment where employees feel valued and empowered to contribute their best ideas.