​Where to even begin writing about start-ups? There is so much already written; however, among all the statistics, reports, tips, and advice, I miss something more detailed and tangible about the importance of building an organizational culture from the beginning. It is entirely understandable that every founder is passionate about the product they are developing. It is also understandable that the founder wants to focus on potential clients, investors, customers, and million new things one has to learn. However, a very fundamental criterion of success is forgotten: to ask yourself, how am I as a start-up founder mentally prepared for the challenges I need to confront? Do I know people in my team?  What kind of relationship do I have with myself, others around me, and the world in which I work? Success depends mostly on the relationships within people in the organization. Larger corporations that have been in the market for decades face tremendous challenges when they want to change organizational dynamics and culture. It is much easier to develop values, relationships, dynamics from the beginning rather than changing deep-seated and established habits of behavior, and thinking later on. 


Mike Burke (Founder of Q6) deliberates on his Blog: "Anyone involved in a start-up, or any early-stage business, really should address how they want their company culture to become. It's often tricky, especially if there are only a handful of employees, to picture ever needing company values, a company ethos, or a focus on culture. Still, these early days often help set the tone within the business for years to come. "


"One of the biggest lessons I've learned is that culture is really important. And I used to think that you could just hire smart people and expect them to do wonders for you. But if people don't fit within your company culture, they will be more likely to butt heads when it doesn't make sense, quit when things aren't going well, and not care for your company. " Neil Patel, Crazy Egg, Co-Founder.


"The culture of a start-up is defined by three things: 1. How the founders behave, 2. Whom they recruit, reward, and recognize. 3. Whom they release (let go). " Darmesh Shah, HubSpot, CTO Co-Founder


We understand all this and much more under organizational culture. Eric Berne developed one of the models, DNA of Organizational Culture, where he researched the impact of the organizational structure, rules, laws, policies on employees' behavior in the organization. And between these two categories, an invisible and intangible sociological phenomenon develops, which we call culture.


If you would like to know more about developing a start-up culture, please contact me. 

​We begin to form opinions and beliefs about ourselves, others and the world in early childhood. Throughout development, the child creates an image, map of the world, in TA called  Frame of Reference, and what this image will look like is influenced by many factors. It begins with parents and other significant adults in childhood environment. The child imitates adult behavior, repeats beliefs, prohibitions, commandments, and other slogans he learns through socialization. Of course, the frame of reference is also influenced by the time we grow up in, political beliefs, the economic situation, safety, the system, attitudes towards health, freedom, equality, money, free time and other areas of life. In this time we also learn to have assumptions and prejudice that make us disable  building qualitative and respectful relationships with other people.
Dr. Eric Berne has developed a model of life positions where he defines an individual's attitude toward himself in relation to others in a given situation. Optimally would be to have an opinion about ourselves at all times and circumstances in awareness that we are OK and others are OK.
"I am OK, you are OK" is position from which we can work constructively, solve problems and communicate with others in a way that we are heard, understood and at the same time it is  respectful and understanding towards the others, no matter in what situation the other finds him self in. This mode of communication is assertive, the person is able to deal with the facts, the conversation is focused on problem solving. It is very important for leaders to be aware of the effectiveness of this position so that their employee can approach him with difficulties they encounter, to feel safe and respectful, to receive support in a constructive way, to be able rely and trust the superior.
As the name implies, the position where the person is in the opinion "I am not OK, you are OK", is in a very passive state. The person feels frustrated, deals with the past, with work processes and is not focused on solutions and the future.
The person in the position "I am OK, you are not OK" is aggressive, he feels resentful towards another person who did not fulfill his expectations, which is destructive in relationships of all kinds. A leader in this position execute  pressure, force and control.
When one person is in a position "I'm not OK, you're not OK", it is very difficult to work with. Subjects in this position retreats from contact, or keep defending their actions, do not face situations, are passive, and feel helpless.  Is cynical or apathetic. A leader in this position has a difficult time surviving his or her duties. This position is damaging to anyone and person feeling this way should consult an expert, as it can be a sign of depression, contempt, self-contempt, or other conditions that call for change.
   We are not taking one life position in every situation, it's important to know that in different circumstances and with different people we might act from other positions. Although only  "I am OK, you are OK" frame of reference can provide save and respectful attitude towards our self, others and the world around us. 

IN2TA was created at the hecathlon in Vienna in 2019. A group of four international women from different backgrounds were committed to supporting the idea that a change is needed in a work environment where many people still feel like children at school. Employees do not communicate with each other, departments have communication gaps. Unpleasant emotions, as we remember them from childhood, fear, shame, embarrassment, humiliation, and many more, are still present in the workplace, despite the fact that employees are adults for already  a long time. Why this happens and how to improve it can also be explained by the theory of Transactional Analysis. 

I am a Transactional Analyst myself and am in the educational process in field of Organizations and Educational Systems (with Rosemary Napper, Oxford, UK). I work under supervision (Thorsten Geck, Hamburg, Germany) and with the colleagues in my study group, and that is the reason I always use plural when talking about IN2TA. All knowledge and experience is a mixture of  my current educators and international colleagues, so I can bring to your organization a colorful spectrum of already proven methods and skills. 

My female supporters from hecathlon weekend in Vienna have gone back to their work and I stayed with my great passion and develop programs with which I can help your organization to grow, overcome obstacles and create pleasant working environment. 

I live my private life  in Graz, Austria, but my working environment is worldwide.  

Melita Cepin
Founder & CEO