Culture often gets lost in the shuffle of growth. For many companies, rapid expansion leads to disconnection, disengagement, and a loss of identity. But what if growth could actually deepen culture instead of diluting it?

That’s exactly what Thompson Thrift, a fast-growing residential, commercial, and construction company operating across 23 states, set out to prove. Since 2020, they’ve nearly doubled in size, won more Top Workplace awards than we can count, and built a reputation for authentic, people-first leadership. Their secret? Culture isn’t something they manage. It’s something they co-create.

In a recent episode of Culture in Action, Luke Fisher, CEO of Mo, sat down with Lily Tikijian and Kristin Tolliver from Thompson Thrift to find out how:

1. Culture Starts at the Core and Spreads from Day One

In 2020, Thompson Thrift had around 400 employees. By 2025, they had grown to over 720. Many organisations would struggle to keep culture consistent during that pace of expansion. Thompson Thrift used it as an opportunity to strengthen theirs.

“We wanted to keep that Indiana feel where we started in Terre Haute, Indiana and expand outward as a national company.”

Kristin Tolliver SVP of HR, Thompson Thrift

New hires receive not just an onboarding, but a cultural immersion, including bios of the executive team, intentional meet-and-greets, and clear messaging about their role as culture carriers.

Managers are treated as the CEOs of their sites. They are empowered not just to manage operations, but to shape and live the culture locally. From construction sites to community hubs, they bring Thompson Thrift’s values to life.

According to Lily Tikijan, Senior Director of Communications and Engagement, “Culture is everyone’s job. It lives in how we show up, support one another, make decisions.”

2. Culture Lives in the Moments Between Meetings

At the end of 2021, Thompson Thrift overhauled its internal newsletter, the TT Weekly. What might sound like a routine comms refresh became a cornerstone of cultural cohesion.

Each week, the newsletter shares stories, recognitions, and updates from across the business. It is a way for a service technician in Colorado to celebrate a leasing agent in Indiana. It is how leadership ensures the pulse of the business is visible and shared.

Lily recalls moments where people would say, “I saw that you were recognised” as they passed one another in the hallway, underscoring the impact of making cultural contributions visible.

“People stop each other in the hallways to say, ‘I saw you were recognised.’ That connection is real.”

Lily Tikijian  Senior Director of Communications and Engagement, Thompson Thrift

During their 2023 annual meeting, the team created a word cloud based on what employees said made a great day at work. Words like “accomplishment”, “fun”, “progress” and “collaboration” became more than just decoration. They now guide internal storytelling and reinforce values.

3. From Recognition to ROI: Proving Culture Pays Off

Too often, culture is seen as the “soft stuff”. But Thompson Thrift tracks tangible metrics that show its business value:

  • 27% of construction hires and over 30% of community management hires came from internal referrals
  • Engagement scores in accounting improved after more intentional communication from leadership, such as open-door policies and approachable town halls
  • Cost per hire has decreased alongside referral rates and stronger retention
  • Long tenure is becoming more common, even as the company scales

4. Culture Shows Up in Hard Times

In 2021, Thompson Thrift unexpectedly lost their Chief Operating Officer, a long-time leader who had helped shape the business. The leadership response was rooted in care. Executives communicated openly and made space for the emotional impact.

Lily remembers being just two months into her role when she saw the executive team present virtually during the annual meeting. She said it was a moment of real buy-in, realising that the culture wasn’t just an idea – it was felt.
Culture is not tested when things are easy. It becomes visible in how organisations support people when things are difficult.

5. Building for the Next 40 Years

Thompson Thrift is approaching its 40th anniversary but continues to push forward. Leaders often talk about “levelling up”, which has become a cultural mantra.

Their Family Impact benefits programme, launched in 2022, provides access to concierge healthcare, added flexibility for family moments, and improved wellbeing support. It began with one of the CEOs questioning how the business could offer better access to healthcare, and quickly evolved into a comprehensive support offering.

Leadership programmes developed in partnership with Indiana University help strengthen both emerging and senior leaders, with real business ideas emerging from these cohorts.

Kristin sums it up by saying, “We always look back at what we’ve done and ask, how do we beat our own best?”

Final Thought: Don’t Bolt Culture On, Build It In


Culture is not a branding exercise. It is the lived experience of your people, especially when no one is watching.
Thompson Thrift proves that culture can scale, and even strengthen, during growth. But only if it is co-created, measured, celebrated, and invested in daily.

Key Takeaways for Culture-Building Teams:

  • Treat managers as culture carriers, not just task managers
  • Build consistent communication that connects everyone, everywhere
  • Use recognition to reinforce values and build morale
  • Lead with empathy, especially during difficult moments
  • Track the connection between culture and performance