Company Culture: Despite being founded over 20 years ago, BAMKO (asi/131431) still carries the vibe of a start-up. Creativity and a sense of entrepreneurial adventure fuel a culture where value is placed on taking intelligent risks to innovate. “We dare to dream big and then go to work ferociously to make those dreams into reality,” says Joshua White, senior vice president of strategic growth. 

For employees, that culture is empowering. It’s a leading factor in why they remain loyal to the company, which grew sales by 78.5% in 2020 and ranks 11^th on Counselor’s list of the Top 40 distributors. “Every day we grow, we achieve, and we thrive,” says White. “That’s an attractive force.”  

COVID Changes: Prior to COVID, about half of BAMKO’s U.S. staff worked remotely, while the rest operated on a partial work-from-home, partial in-office schedule. These days, the company is fully remote in most countries where it operates. “Once it’s safe, we’ll reopen some of our offices and allow employees to come back on a hybrid basis,” says White.

To keep employees feeling supported during the pandemic, BAMKO has done things like send themed care packages once a quarter. The packages have featured everything from workout items to PPE and relaxation kits. “We’ve also supplied each employee a year’s membership to the CALM app as part of our focus on mental health and wellness,” says White.

BAMKO hosts various virtual events, weekly department meetings, monthly team events and quarterly company update meetings. “Some of our most notable team events,” White says, “have included a wellness coach, a magician, and a Family Feud tournament.

Parting Tip: “Build a great culture that attracts talented people,” says White. “Talented people have options. Attracting those types of people comes down to having an environment where talented people are given the opportunity to thrive.”