Why Trust Is Like a Campfire

Building Trust Like a Campfire

Over the years at Wistia, Brendan and I have learned that trust in the workplace is like a campfire. It takes intention to start, consistent care to keep burning, and when it's thriving, it warms everyone around it.

At Wistia, this campfire of trust has fueled our growth over the past 18 years. It’s taught me that businesses thrive when people genuinely care about one another. Too often, leaders overlook it in favor of more tangible priorities.

But here’s the thing: without trust, everything else suffers. Teams struggle to collaborate, feedback doesn’t stick, and people feel disconnected. When you make trust a priority, though, the results are transformative.

Here’s how we keep our campfire burning:

Create Space to Stoke Connection

Connection doesn’t have to be complicated. We keep it simple—like group dinners or casual conversations. Once a year, we make time to travel somewhere together for an offsite.

In all these cases, maintaining a chill vibe is our #1 priority because the only thing worse than not socializing is forced socializing. If you create an environment that feels work- and pressure-free and gives people room to be themselves, they’ll naturally create connection.

Connection builds trust, and this trust built offline carries back into the virtual world, helping team members solve problems together more effectively.

Transparency Fans the Flame

Transparency is one of the most powerful ways to build trust, and at Wistia, we practice it relentlessly.

We share everything—our strategy, financials, even our mistakes—during all-hands meetings. This “open book” approach gives everyone a clear picture of where we’re headed and what it will take to get there. It also shows that we trust our team with the truth, no matter how messy or uncertain it might be.

Transparency creates alignment and fosters honest collaboration. When people feel trusted with information, they step up to the challenge. They ask better questions, share bolder ideas, and feel a deeper sense of ownership over the outcome.

Transparency doesn’t just keep the fire burning—it turns the whole team into active participants in keeping it alive.

Feedback Nurtures Constant Improvement

Without connection, feedback can feel like criticism. With it, feedback feels like support.

Over the years, I’ve learned that feedback—when given the right way—can be a powerful opportunity to build trust. Fast, clear feedback shows that you’re invested in someone’s growth, and it helps create a culture where people feel safe sharing perspectives.

Teams that trust one another:

 A) Give feedback transparently

 B) Integrate it into their work

 C) Tackle more complex problems with greater efficiency as they grow together

When people know your intentions are good and you want them to get better, the trust you’ve built becomes a foundation for continuous improvement. 

Trust Changes Everything

Building trust takes time and effort. It doesn’t happen by accident, but when you prioritize it, trust can ignite invaluable momentum within your business.

Happier teams. Stronger performance. Faster growth.

When you tend to your company’s campfire—stoking connection, fanning the flames of transparency, and nurturing feedback—you’ll create the kind of trust that changes everything.