Over the past year, I had the absolute pleasure of being a part of the Double Good family, working on the production side of things. Now, as my time here has come to an end and I move on to my next chapter, I just wanted to take a moment to reflect on what makes this place so special and what I’m taking with me.
I am fully aware that it’s human nature to romanticize our experiences after the fact, but I assure you, as a realist (I may have heard pessimist more than once) and someone who is no longer on Double Good’s payroll, I am writing this as objectively as I can. In fact, anyone who knows me can attest to the fact that I am much more likely to ruin a sentimental moment with a poorly timed joke than to create one.
About a year ago, I found myself at a crossroads. While I was making decent money bartending at a couple different places, I saw my long-term goals begin to take a backseat to those jobs and realized I needed a change. I decided to find something steady and close to home that would be a paycheck and nothing more while I finished up my last semester at school. I came across a light-hearted job posting for a popcorn company five minutes from my house, so I applied. Only nine short interviews later, I was offered the job as a packer on Double Good’s order-fulfillment team.
On my first day, every person in the company introduced themselves with great enthusiasm and seemed legitimately happy to be at work. This was brand new to me and weirded me out a bit, as I started thinking to myself, “If someone offers you Kool-Aid, do not drink it!”
By the end of my first week, I was well versed in all things Double Good: their mission, culture, values, and history. If everything they were telling me was true, I was truly impressed and wanted to be a part of this. But I couldn’t help but wonder if their passion and my excitement for everything I just learned would diminish as time went on, as it often does after the honeymoon period of any new job.
But as time went on, the exact opposite happened, and in the process of working with Double Good, this cynic was made into a believer. Never have I worked somewhere where everyone is treated as equals and held to the same standards regardless of job title, where the only thing dividing the manufacturing and corporate sides of the business is literally a wall (probably because of health code regulations). And never have I worked with such a diverse group of people so committed to one common goal — helping kids do what they love.
I often wondered how such an ethical company could be so successful. Looking back on my time there, I’ve concluded that it comes down to two things: people and purpose.
By creating an environment that fosters and promotes its employees personal and professional growth while giving them purpose, it breeds a synergy within the company like nothing else. When you put people first and lead by example, you can inspire customers and employees alike and show the world that there is a better way. Not only does Double Good create joy for kids around the world, but they also give hope that in today’s business environment you can be competitive and compassionate.
My father has always taught me that you should leave things better off than you found them. I’m not sure if Double Good is any better off after my time with them, but I can say with great certainty that I am better for having worked there. So now it is with a heavy heart that I must say goodbye, but I leave with the utmost gratitude and greatest comfort knowing that as long as they keep doing what they do, they’ll continue to change the world, one person at a time.
