When most companies talk about culture code and core values, they have a long list of each. Integrity. Innovation. Customer-first. Collaboration. Accountability. Sustainability. Diversity & Inclusion.

All important. All meaningful. Very long. Needs explaining a lot. Needs vulture workshops to introduce to the employees, teams, and make sure they are adopted.

And sometimes. They’re just words on the wall.

We have one value that includes everything in one sentence.

Don’t be a 🍆

Unconventional? Yes. Blunt? Absolutely. But this single principle guides every decision we make, every relationship we build, and every piece of work we deliver.

And no, it’s not rude. It’s respectful. It’s intentionally mindful of others’ feelings, circumstances, and dignity.

What It Means (The Short Version)

1. To Customers: Be honest about what works and what doesn’t. Don’t overpromise. Don’t hide pricing. Don’t make them feel stupid for asking questions.
2. To Engineers: Don’t dumb down their work. Learn their language. Preserve technical truth. Give credit where it’s due.
3. To Executives: Speak in revenue, not vanity metrics. Be honest about what’s working. Take responsibility. No hiding behind jargon.
4. To Partners: Build win-win relationships. Be responsive. Honor commitments. Don’t extract value without giving it.
5. To Everyone: Be kind. Be helpful. Be trustworthy. Show up on time. Respect people’s time and intelligence.
6. To Yourself: Admit when you don’t know something. Set boundaries. Don’t fake expertise. Do work you’re proud of.

Why This Value?

Simple: We all have feelings. And we shouldn’t deny them.

I’m Finnish. We’re not known for being overly emotional, but we are known to be honest. (and if you don’t believe me.. just read this) We value directness. We don’t dance around things. And we definitely don’t appreciate people who waste our time or try to bullshit us. We have a radar for bullshit. And we’re not afraid to use it. And we’re not afraid to call BS out loud either.

Based on that heritage, I have always followed one principle.

Don’t be a 🍆.

This value has just been growing stronger through my nearly 20 years in deep tech, watching what happens when people forget basic decency:

• Engineers building brilliant tech that customers don’t understand because marketers won’t learn the technical language
• Marketers are creating campaigns that technical buyers don’t trust because they oversimplify or over-promise
• Partnerships are failing because someone is extracting value without giving it
• Customers feel misled by marketing that doesn’t match reality

That’s it. That’s the whole philosophy. You can read how I came up with my value here.

The Filter for Every Decision

Before any decision, we ask:

“Is this a 🍆 move?”

• Would this mislead a customer?
• Would this disrespect a partner?
• Would this oversimplify someone’s work?
• Would this extract value without giving it?
• Would this compromise someone’s dignity?

If yes, we don’t do it.

Not revolutionary. Not complicated. Just consistently doing the right thing, even when it’s inconvenient.

How We Actually Live It

We recognize when we get it right:

• Admitting we don’t know something instead of faking it
• Turning down work that would require misleading customers
• Giving credit to partners and collaborators
• Telling clients the truth even when it’s uncomfortable

We make tough calls based on it:

• Walking away from projects requiring us to over-promise
• Losing deals to competitors willing to bend the truth
• Being slower to scale because we won’t compromise quality
• Turning down extractive partnerships

We course-correct fast:

• When we mess up (and we will), we admit it
• We apologize when needed
• We fix it and move on
• No corporate BS about “lessons learned” in a 47-slide deck

Why It’s Actually a Superpower

In a world that rewards aggressive tactics and exaggerated claims, this can seem like a disadvantage.

But here’s what it gets us:

✓ Clients who refer us repeatedly
✓ Partners who actually want to collaborate
✓ Engineers who respect our work
✓ Executives who trust our recommendations
✓ Media that quotes us as experts
✓ A reputation that opens doors
✓ Work we’re proud of
✓ Sleep at night

In B2B tech, credibility is everything. And credibility comes from consistently not being a 🍆.

When C-Mimmi-O explains your technology, people know it’s accurate.
When we write your content, engineers don’t cringe.
When we position your product, it withstands scrutiny.
When we build your partnerships, they last.

At Work and At Home

This isn’t a “work value” that gets left at the office.

Don’t be a 🍆 is how to live. In business. In relationships. In everyday interactions.

You can’t fake integrity. You can’t perform kindness for show. You can’t toggle respect on and off.

Either you mean it, or you don’t.

Mean it. Everywhere.

Who This Is For

You’ll thrive working with C-Mimmi-O if you believe:

• Long-term relationships > short-term wins
• Technical truth and marketing effectiveness aren’t opposites
• Good business is built on trust, not tricks
• Being decent to people is a strategy, not a weakness

This isn’t for you if:

• You want someone to lie to your customers
• You’re looking for quick hacks and fake authority
• You’re okay with burning bridges for short-term gains
• You think this value is “too simple.”

Here’s The Bottom Line

C-Mimmi-O is built on one simple, powerful value.

Don’t be a 🍆.

It shapes everything we do. Strategy. Content. Partnerships. Client work. Every interaction.

We’re not perfect. We make mistakes. But we course-correct quickly, admit when we’re wrong, and keep trying to live this value every day.

If you believe business can be built on honesty, kindness, and mutual respect—let’s work together.

Because every B2B tech company deserves marketing that engineers respect and buyers understand.

And everyone deserves to work with people who aren’t 🍆s.

Contact C-Mimmi-O

Doing well in business and being good people aren’t mutually exclusive.

You can use these as a starting point for your code and values, if you’re not as strong with yours as C-Mimmi-O is with theirs.

• 2026 Actionable Values Guide: A modern list of values including Psychological Safety, Measurable Impact, and Human-Centered Leadership.
• Core Values Library (45 Examples): Categorizes values into themes like integrity, goal orientation, and social responsibility.
• Code of Conduct Framework: A guide on what a standard code should include, such as conflict of interest disclosures and data protection rules.