Some companies are known for being great places to work. Others … just aren’t. So what is it that those great companies have that make potential employees seek them out and current employees happy to go to work each day? The answer: strong corporate culture.

The experts at our February panelist discussion demystified the ways in which a strong corporate culture is built. Simple things like the COO remembering employees’ names and fun activities like a chili cook-off not only encourage a positive workplace, but a more successful company. This was the message delivered by our panelists: Lisa Hannum, chief executive officer, Beehive; Derek Nelson, creative services manager, Anytime Fitness; and Rob Goggins, chief operating officer, Great Clips. In this article, Steve Mann, vice president of Beehive, offers detailed insights from our three panelists on the role corporate culture plays in a company’s success story.