The principles that guide how we think, decide, execute and learn at Instfy, and the behaviors we expect from every person.
For us, culture is not a list of values on the wall. It is the way decisions get made when no one is watching. Instfy's culture comes from the same logic we use with clients, described in [How we think](#/how-we-think) and in the [Instfy methodology](#/methodology). If it works for building a client's business, it also works for building our own company.
!image[Colleagues talking and laughing during a work session](/assets/img/pessoas/culture.webp)
## The five principles
Understand before concluding
Finding an answer does not mean you have understood the problem.
Choose what not to do
Strategy requires choices, and choosing also means saying no.
Implement before claiming value
An idea is only worth something when it survives execution and is put to use.
Measure before evolving
Evidence outweighs perception.
Everything flows
People, markets and technologies change. Certainties also need to be questioned.
### Understand before concluding
Problems are the result of contexts, relationships, decisions and events that build up over time. Before proposing anything, we investigate: who is involved, what the data shows, what the market is doing and what the constraints are. We rigorously separate **facts, signals, hypotheses, opportunities and risks**. This applies to a client diagnosis and to an internal discussion about priorities.
### Choose what not to do
Seeing more possibilities does not mean pursuing all of them. People here are encouraged to say clearly what is left out, and why. A backlog without cuts is not a strategy, it is a queue.
### Implement before claiming value
An installed CRM does not mean a working CRM. An approved document does not mean an applied decision. We value work when it truly becomes part of the life of the business, whether the client's or Instfy's own.
### Measure before evolving
We judge success by impact, not by the number of deliverables. Every initiative starts with a defined metric, and the baseline numbers are recorded before work begins. This also protects people: discussions become more objective when everyone is looking at the same evidence.
### Everything flows
About 2,500 years ago, Heraclitus summed up the idea in two words: "everything flows". No solution should become a permanent certainty, including our own. Revisiting a decision in light of new evidence is not weakness, it is method.
## Behaviors we expect
Principles only make sense when they become behavior. The table below shows how they appear day to day.
| Principle | Do this | Not this |
|---|---|---|
| Understand before concluding | Ask questions before proposing and check what the data says. | Show up to the first meeting with the solution ready. |
| Choose what not to do | Propose priorities and explain what is left out. | Accept every request to avoid conflict. |
| Implement before claiming value | Follow the deliverable through to real use and adoption. | Consider the work done when the file is sent. |
| Measure before evolving | Define the metric before starting and record the baseline. | Judge the result only by the impressions of those involved. |
| Everything flows | Revisit a decision when new evidence appears and record the reason. | Defend an old choice just because it was already made. |
| Ownership | Treat a problem as yours until it has a clear owner. | Wait for someone else to notice and fix it. |
| Communication | Record decisions and share context with whoever needs it. | Leave important information only in private conversations. |
## How decisions are made
Internally, we use the same six questions we apply to any client initiative. If a proposal does not answer them, it is not ready to be decided.
| Question | What it prevents |
|---|---|
| What are we doing? | Unfocused effort. |
| Why are we doing it? | Initiatives disconnected from the business goal. |
| Who is responsible? | Deliverables without an owner. |
| When does it need to happen? | Confused priorities and implicit deadlines. |
| How much does it cost? | Investments without transparency. |
| How will we know it worked? | Results judged only by opinion. |
We work in cycles with **formal decision points**. Decisions, hypotheses, changes of direction and lessons learned are **documented**, so that anyone can understand not only what was decided, but why. Disagreement is welcome before the decision. After it, we expect commitment to execution and a new conversation when evidence emerges that justifies changing course.
## How we learn from mistakes
Instfy was built by someone who made a lot of mistakes. Across more than 20 businesses, Leandro Correia, founder and CEO, made money, lost money, sold companies and saw companies fail in many different industries. Every stumble left a lesson, and every lesson became method. That story defines our relationship with mistakes:
- **A hidden mistake is the only unforgivable mistake.** The sooner a problem surfaces, the cheaper it is to fix.
- **We look at the process, not for someone to blame.** The question is what happened, what we learned and what changes from here on.
- **We record the lesson.** What did not work and why feeds the Evolve stage, in projects and in the company itself.
- **Starting over is part of it.** Entrepreneurship teaches you to deal with uncertainty, do a lot with little and start over without losing your drive.
## Ownership and autonomy
Every initiative has an owner. Being the owner does not mean doing everything alone: it means making sure the deliverable happens, asking for help early, bringing in the right skills and being accountable for the result. In return, we give autonomy to decide the how, within clear goals and with the six questions answered.
## Curiosity as a method
We start by asking better questions. We observe what is happening in the world, the country, the region and the local market, and we connect other industries, technologies and business models to each client's reality. We value people who read, test, compare and bring in outside references. Where a business is located does not limit where its best ideas can come from, and that applies to people as well.
## International mindset
Instfy is headquartered in New York, has offices in Orlando, Miami, São Paulo, Shanghai and Dubai, and acts as a bridge between Brazil and the United States. That calls for respect for different cultures, time zones, languages and ways of working, and the discipline to communicate clearly in writing for those who were not in the meeting.
## Ethics and confidentiality
We work with clients' strategic information: numbers, plans, processes, personal data and decisions that have not yet been announced. That is why:
- Client information is used **only for the contracted work**.
- We do not discuss projects, clients or numbers outside the appropriate professional context, including on social media.
- Data access follows the principle of least privilege, and credentials are never shared.
- Personal data is handled in accordance with applicable law. Questions or incidents must be reported immediately, and requests about personal data can be sent to **dpo@instfy.com**.
- We recommend what is best for the client, even when that means not selling an Instfy product.
:::warn
When in doubt about what can be shared, do not share it. Ask the project lead first.
:::
## Frequently asked questions
### What are the principles of Instfy's culture?
There are five: understand before concluding, choose what not to do, implement before claiming value, measure before evolving and everything flows. They come from the methodology we use with clients and also guide internal decisions.
### How does Instfy make internal decisions?
Every proposal must answer six questions: what, why, who is responsible, when, how much it costs and how we will know it worked. Work moves forward in cycles with formal decision points, and decisions and the reasons behind them are recorded.
### How does Instfy deal with mistakes?
We treat mistakes as a source of learning and look at the process, not for someone to blame. What matters is making the problem visible early, understanding what happened and recording what changes from here on.
### Can I disagree with a decision?
Yes, and we expect it before the decision, with arguments and evidence. Once the decision is made, we ask for commitment to execution and a new discussion when facts emerge that justify revisiting it.
### How does Instfy protect client data?
Information is used only for the contracted work, with access limited to what is necessary and handled confidentially. Requests related to personal data can be sent to dpo@instfy.com.
## Next steps
See how these principles show up in the hiring process and in each person's growth.
:::related
careers, hiring-process, career-growth, how-we-think, methodology
:::