How to ... create core values that are timeless

Brothers Chadd and Keegan Hodges first looked to add services when they took on leadership roles in the family electrician business in 2010. That included plumbing and air conditioning work.

That led to a hiring boom at the Naples-based company, Best Home Services, and it quickly went from 15 to 50 employees. By 2011, the Hodges added another element, this one being more internal: core values. “We wanted to get something on paper to who we are,” Chadd Hodges says.

The first step was research. The Hodges, who had worked at the family business with parents Perry and Marilyn Hodges since they were kids, wanted this phase to be as inclusive as possible. They sent a list of 100 words to every employee and asked them to rank each word one to 10, with one being the most meaningful and 10 the least. The company even sent the list to select vendors and loyal customers.