As a superstar Stage 2 Capital LP, Nick Mehta is the CEO of Gainsight — a company that just placed first overall on the Glassdoor Best Places to Work list for 2023.

Nick recently joined Stage 2 Capital Operating Partner John Boucher to discuss how Gainsight is hyper-focused on maintaining its best-in-class company culture, especially during times of uncertainty.

What was it like being named “Best Place to Work” by Glassdoor?

“It was one of the highlights of my career,” Nick says. Back at a 2017 offsite, the Gainsight team set an audacious goal to be recognized as a top place to work. “We all just laughed then, and thought it would never happen.”

Fast forward to January 2023, Gainsight earns the top spot on Glassdoor’s list. The award is solely based on anonymous employee reviews, where team members provide feedback on their job, work environment and employer. For Nick, winning was “A great sign [from employees], and it was amazing when it happened. Our goal now is to keep living up to it.”


You talk a lot about Gainsight’s “Human-First” company culture. How did that come about, and how can founders create something similar?

Nick recalls the idea of “Human-First” surfacing when he and his team were crafting a mission statement. “While CS on its own is awesome, we needed something that showcased not only what we did, but how we do it, and why we do it,” he shares. “Our mission is to be living proof you can win in business while being human-first.’” 

Nick adds, “In business, you’re often taught the best way to be successful is to not worry about people’s feelings,” Nick says. But at the end of the day, “I’m a human being. Our customers are human beings. Our competitors are human beings. People that work at Gainsight are human beings and when they leave, they’re still human beings.”


What are the values that have shaped Gainsight’s company culture?

Gainsight is guided by five core values: "Golden Rule," "Success for All," "Childlike Joy," "Shoshin,” and "Stay Thirsty, My Friends."

With today’s uncertain market conditions, these values have recently been demonstrated in Nick’s communications to his team. For instance, “‘Success for All’ is how we build a business that drives success for our customers, employees and their friends and family, investors — all of the bottom lines,” Nick says.  “For us, this shows up as hyper-transparency. I send an email to the company every Sunday night to share my thoughts on everything from the new Taylor Swift album to our business strategies. It provides our employees context and the why behind major business decisions.”