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A cup with "adventure begins" written on it

Open doors

The Potential and Pitfalls of a “Choose Your Own Adventure” Culture

Imagine a workplace where every door is open, where your role isn’t a rigid box but a malleable opportunity waiting to be shaped. Sounds exciting, right? This “choose your own adventure” approach to organisational culture is built on trust, autonomy, and the belief that individuals thrive when given the freedom to chart their own paths.

We’ve seen firsthand how powerful this approach can be. One of our team members joined as a studio manager and is now our COO. That journey speaks volumes about what’s possible when people are given the freedom to grow, evolve, and follow their passions. It’s not just about filling roles—it’s about creating opportunities. As co-owners, we all share this same potential. It mirrors the founder’s path: starting with no defined title—just “freelancer” or something similarly open-ended—and carving out a role that reflects our skills, our vision, and our ambitions. This freedom, this ability to shape your own adventure, is core to who we are as an organisation.

But as we grow, we face a risk. The natural consequence of hiring people into roles is that the organisation can begin to exert downward pressure—a subtle but significant nudge to “stay in your lane.” Over time, this could chip away at the sense of freedom and possibility that we’ve always championed. If no one has the same latitude as a founder to craft their own path, we lose something vital: the creativity, adaptability, and excitement that come from thinking beyond the confines of a predefined role.

Being stuck in a role is something I’d hate to see happen—as a founder, and as someone who deeply values the culture of opportunity we’ve built, it'd the be opposite of the freedom's I've had.

Steve Hawkes

The challenge, then, is to scale without losing what makes us special. Open doors create enormous potential, but they also demand care. Autonomy works best when paired with strong support: tailored development plans, clear communication, and a commitment to helping people grow their way. It’s not about forcing everyone into the same mould; it’s about ensuring everyone has the same tools, encouragement, and freedom to step through those doors with confidence.

When we get this balance right, the results are clear. We foster leaders who rise through the ranks, co-owners who truly feel ownership, and a culture that never stops evolving. That’s the kind of adventure worth building—together.

Really though?

Culture is often perceived as this elusive, intangible thing—difficult to shape, harder still to sustain. When it comes to creating a workplace culture that prioritises personal growth, autonomy, and shared ownership, the challenge can feel even greater. Many organisations fall into the trap of thinking they need the perfect framework or process to “solve” culture, something systematic and scalable that can neatly deliver the desired outcomes. But ironically, the quest for structure can create a chilling effect, locking people into processes rather than opening doors to possibilities. In my experience, the best way to make a culture of growth and autonomy feasible isn’t through frameworks or policies—it’s through earnest and curious conversation. A simple 1:1, where someone asks, “What do you really want out of work?” and genuinely listens to the answer, can be transformative. It’s the kind of question that strips away assumptions and makes space for people to articulate their ambitions, fears, and aspirations. If we truly want to see people—not just the roles they fill or the outputs they produce—then culture becomes less about perfect structures and more about trust, empathy, and human connection. When we approach culture with curiosity and sincerity, those metaphorical doors we talk about opening don’t just creak ajar—they swing wide open.