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Culture Book

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Contents1. Hello And Welcome2. The BlueGlass Way3. Joining The Team4. Daily Life at BlueGlass5. Work x Life6. Learning Never Stops7. Be Proud Of Your Work8. Doing The Right Thing9. Life Isn’t Perfect10. Final words

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www.blueglass.co.uk

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Welcome to BlueGlass

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Welcome to BlueGlass. We are a specialist team of digital

marketers in offices across London, Zurich and Tallinn.

If you’re reading this, we’re assuming you already work here - or you’re about to. Whether you’re on day zero or year six, this Culture Book is designed to be a one-stop-shop for you as a BlueGlass team member to understand what we’re all about and how things work.

Maybe you want to know:

• What happens when I join?• What is the history/future of BlueGlass?• Where’s good for lunch?• How do I get a bonus or pay rise?

We’ve got it covered, so read on!

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www.blueglass.co.uk

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The BlueGlass Way

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BlueGlass was set up in the UK in 2012 by Kevin Gibbons and Chelsea

Blacker. Kevin had an SEO-focused agency in Oxford, but wanted to grow a client base in London, so he split out the London office Chelsea was managing at the time, and voilà - we launch the team for BlueGlass UK!

We found that the best SEO results for clients came from combining technical SEO, with creative content marketing and authority digital PR coverage.

This is why we started BlueGlass, to provide a specialised team approach to give our clients the right mix of skillsets and talent they needed to achieve world-class results.

The BlueGlass Story - Launch

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Blue glass is created when, under perfect conditions, lightning strikes a

beach and the resulting heat cooks the sand into glass. As a result, this glass looks just like a lightening bolt.

This kind of amazing transformation is what we seek for our clients in achieving digital marketing results.

The real name for “blue glass” is a fulgurite (but this doesn’t roll off the tongue quite like “blue glass” does).

The BlueGlass Story - Why BlueGlass?

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BlueGlass was originally founded in 2010 as an agency in the US, which

grew to be an agency of 50+ people with a fantastic base of SEO and content marketing clients.

We became the UK office of BlueGlass in November 2012, with the Zurich office opening in February 2013 to further strengthen our European offering.

Unfortunately, shortly after this, the US operation was shut down.

We learned a number of hard lessons from this, and maintained the BlueGlass brand in order to continue building upon our already strong reputation within the UK and Europe.

BlueGlass History

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We have offices, not just in London, but also in Zurich, Switzerland and

Tallinn, Estonia.

This allows us to work across European markets, with a team of 20 people in Zurich and 10 in Estonia.

We like to arrange joint events together as a team, we’ve ran an annual ski

trip since 2015, often meet at events such as BrightonSEO or the European Search Awards.

In the meantime, an easy way to start putting a face to a name would be to connect with the team on LinkedIn.

BlueGlass Zur ich and Tal l inn Off ices

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Our objective as an agency is to grow in what we feel is the right way for

us. In just four years, we have grown from a fledgling team of four people and initial revenues of £235,000 to 15 people and 2016 turnover of £1.5m (in London), 40 people and £3m+ across the group (London, Zurich and Tallinn).

Last year, Kevin gave a company-wide presentation on the vision for moving forward - how we continue to get better,

not bigger, by keeping our focus on our core specialisms, being selective in whom we work with, and focusing on measurable business results for our clients.

The focus is always on doing great work for happy clients and 90%+ of our new business comes from either our existing client base, or recommendations and referrals. This strategy is paying off, with not just an impressive client base, but also a shelf-full of awards!

The BlueGlass Story - GrowthC

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www.blueglass.co.uk

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won a number of industry awards

2013Best Use of Search in Third Sector

2014Best SEO Campaign

2015Best Use of Search in Third Sector

2015Best Use of Social Media in a Search Campaign

2016Best Use of Search in Travel & Best Use of Search in Retail

2016Content Marketing Agency of the Year

2017Best Mobile Campaign

www.blueglass.co.uk

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We From & Where Are We Going)

Kevin has been interviewed about the growth of BlueGlass as an agency - listen/read more about it here...

The Drum

Freelance Transformation

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The BlueGlass Miss ionOur miss ion is s imple, we aim to produce organic growth for our

c l ients by combining the best in SEO, content market ing and digi ta l PR.

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How do we achieve this mission?

We’re lean, nimble and specialised which means we can:

1. Work with a select group of clients2. Form aligned relationships to really

understand clients’ brands3. Focus our work efficiently on what’s

most important4. Educate our clients by sharing and

challenging ideas5. Spend time experimenting to improve

our creativity6. Recruit talent with strong experience

and a can-do attitude7. Go the extra mile to get real,

business results!

How We Do I t

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In 2015, we decided to clearly define our core values as a group exercise across

the business.

Our values are a vital part of what we do, and how we find new BlueGlassers who are a good fit with our culture and existing team:

1. Be proud of your work2. We win and lose together3. Take responsibility for your actions4. Learning never stops5. Act with honesty

The BlueGlass Values

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BlueGlass structures its client services into three key categories:

• Strategy - understanding where you, where to go and how to get there• Creativity - creating content to stand out from the crowd• Promotion - working hard to secure authority coverage, traffic and conversions

BlueGlass has an innovative team structure revolving around “pods” of specialists around these three areas, to ensure clients get the right balance of people and skills to secure results.

Meet The Team - And Our Pods!

OUR MARKETING SERVICES ARE

BROKEN DOWN INTO 3 MAIN CATEGORIES

1. STRATEGY

3. PROMOTION 2. CREATION

www.blueglass.co.uk

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Strategy, Del ivery and Finance

David IwanowDirector of Strategy

David focuses on developing our strategy for the team and clients.

Irma HunkelerHead of Content

Irma joined BlueGlass in 2013 and oversees the delivery of our

content marketing work to clients.

Howard JacksonFinance Director

Howard’s experience helps to provide the financial expertise

to maintain our fast growth.

Kevin GibbonsCo-founder and CEO

Kevin oversees the vision and strategic direction on how we

grow as an agency.

Chelsea BlackerCo-founder and Managing Director

Chelsea manages a range of key clients, and organises the team

to maximise client success.

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Joining The Team

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An agency is only as good as its people. We recruit, cultivate and

retain the best in the industry.

We look to recruit the brightest people who fit our culture and share our values, who are proactive and dedicated, who we can trust and rely on.

And it goes without saying that they must be passionate about their field, whether that’s SEO, content, digital PR or finance.

Who We’re Looking For

“An agency is only as good as its people. We recruit, cultivate and retain the best in the industry.”

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On average, 1 in 50 applicants is offered a role at BlueGlass.

Our interview process is not “standard” but we find it leads us to candidates who exhibit the qualities necessary to drive amazing results for our clients.

It’s a simple four-step process:

• Apply to BlueGlass• Phone interview• Technical Test and in-person interview• BlueGlass Experience Day

The BlueGlass In terv iew Process

“BlueGlass is not just a company you work for, it’s a lifestyle! As a team, BlueGlass has achieved an impressive synergy, offering people an opportunity to learn, grow and contribute while having the time of their lives.”Inna Tsukanova, Digital PR

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If you’re successful in your interviews, we’ll invite you to an Experience Day.

This is an opportunity to experience what it’s like to work at BlueGlass for a day, and learn what it’s like to be part of the BlueGlass team.

Normally you arrive at 9am, join one of the pods for a scrum, do some example tasks, have lunch with a designated buddy, have a coffee with the MD and leave around 4.30pm. If the day goes well, you’ll be offered the role within a week.

BlueGlass Exper ience Days

“As a new joiner, I was welcomed really warmly! Although my skills and energy levels have already been put to the test, I’m learning quickly in this fast-paced environment, and I can feel myself developing a lot here.”Moses Dawodu, Finance

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So you’ve flown through the interviews, and signed your contracts.

What’s next?

First day: On your first day you will join a pod, led by one of our talented team leaders. Join your team for a walkabout at lunch, get to know Roger (the office dog) and get set up ready for the off!

First week: Your manager will run through your induction plan with you, and Kevin, our CEO, will invite you out for coffee somewhere on Leather Lane.

First 3 months: This is your probationary period - in other words, your chance to shine, to embed with the team, and to develop your skills.

Your F i rs t Days, Weeks and Months

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Every new BlueGlasser is presented with:

• A MacBook Pro (or laptop equivalent), with Thunderbolt screen• BlueGlass hoodie• BlueGlass notepad and pen• Amazon Kindle

So that you’re ready to get stuck in!

BlueGlass Welcome Pack

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Dai ly L i fe At BlueGlass HQ

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Our office is located on bustling Leather Lane, home to one of

London’s thriving street markets. The nearest stations are Farringdon and Chancery Lane (both about 5 mins away).

Access is via a door code, and we have a lift up to the third floor.

The office offers a meeting room, reading/meeting corner with sofa and bookcase, a kitchen, and a table to eat at. And someone’s usually made or bought biscuits.

The BlueGlass Off ice

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We’re a paper-free office, and use Asana, Google Docs and Basecamp

to collaborate and share documents with clients.

We don’t have music blaring across the office - not everyone shares the same tastes! But if you’re focusing, it’s fine to wear headphones.

We try not to interrupt our colleagues with “quick questions” - instead, we

pop them on Gchat. We have a call answering service, and for calls filtered through, the nearest person answers the phone, politely and respectfully - even to cold callers!

We don’t operate a clear desk policy, but everyone takes responsibility for their surroundings.

All desks and chairs are adjustable so you can get really comfy.

How We Work

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With 50 or so street food stalls and restaurants nearby, we encourage

everyone to get out and about at lunchtime.

Plus there are parks nearby including Spa Fields in case you want to take Roger the Papillon for a walk!

Our favourite lunch-time spots include:

• Embutique - spanish tortillas are great!• Daddy Donkey - we run a burrito

friday lunch and learns, you’ll get to try these soon...

• Moz - not that one, these offer yummy falafel wraps :)

Lunch Times

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Roger is the office dog, owned by Kevin and Chelsea. He’s a Papillon and provides stress-relief pet therapy and office security.

His objectives for the year include not barking at the postman.

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The kitchen provides everything you need - fridge, kettle, microwave, toaster, tea and coffee.

We all try to keep this area tidy and clean.

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• Every morning at 9.15am, each pod gets together for a scrum.

• Client calls are typically held after 1pm so we have focused time in the morning.

• We take an hour for lunch, usually between 12 noon and 2pm.

• We generally run client meetings in the afternoon to minimise disruption - so that key daily tasks can be completed in the mornings.

A Day in The L i fe of a BlueGlasser

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Work x L i fe : Gett ing The Balance Right

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• The standard BlueGlass day is 7.5 hours plus an hour for lunch.

• Most people work 9am to 5.30pm, but you can shift this earlier if you prefer (not later as you need to be in and ready for the 9.15 scrum).

• Working late on a regular basis is not encouraged, and the office often closes by 6pm.

• However, we always ensure we’re on time for scrums and client calls.

Off ice Hours

“BlueGlassers plan ahead to be on time no matter what. We’ve actually won pitches because we go the extra mile and have walked or cycled to pitches during strikes, arriving promptly.”Chelsea Blacker

www.blueglass.co.uk

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• When you join BlueGlass, you receive 25 days paid holiday (not including bank holidays), and we encourage you to take all of it.

• To book holiday, provide as much notice as possible and make sure your days are recorded in WhosOff.

• Before you go, hand over fully to the rest of your team and put on your Out Of Office.

• Sweet treats for the team are always appreciated!

Taking Hol iday

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If you’re too ill to come in to the office, please call Chelsea (or your team lead)

by 9am that day, and each subsequent day you’re still not feeling well) so it can be communicated to the rest of your team, and any urgent tasks can be redistributed.

You can read more on what to do when and after you’re ill on the Drive.

Feel ing Poor ly?

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The BlueGlass team holds its Christmas party a week or two before the big day

- its location and theme tend to be a secret. We also do a Secret Santa.

The office closes between Christmas and New Year, so make sure you save some of your holiday to cover this period!

Christmas at BlueGlass

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The BlueGlass team is naturally collaborative - and that means

social too.

Regular events and trips include the annual BlueGlass sports day and the BrightonSEO conference, plus there are one-offs such as our ping pong bar tournament and conference trip to Pubcon in Las Vegas!

Socia ls and Team Events

www.blueglass.co.uk

Annual Internat ional Team Retreat

Once a year, the London, Tallinn and Zurich BlueGlass offices get together - in the Alps. Much skiing, falling over, partying and eating fondue ensue...

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www.blueglass.co.uk

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Learning Never Stops

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We take learning and development seriously at BlueGlass.

Each Friday, we hold lunch-and-learns, where pods take it in turn to present, sharing recent client successes, learnings, company updates or we invite in external guests to run a knowledge share session (see right with SEMrush team).

Our favourite choice of food is to make this a Burrito Friday, with Daddy Donkey opposite our office offering the best burritos in London, hands down!

Lunch-And-Learns

“We take learning and development seriously at BlueGlass.”

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10% of your work week – Friday afternoons – is set aside for you to

work on personal development projects each week. Brush up on your HTML coding, research the latest digital trends or write a blog post – it’s up to you.

There’s a reading corner in the office with a raft of bestsellers on SEO, content, digital, business and leadership skills and trends.

Every new starter gets a Kindle and we have a free book allowance, where we’ll buy you any books of your choice.

R&D Time

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If you find a course that will benefit you and help you provide even better

services to our clients, we’ll happily put you on it. We have assigned a £2,000 budget for everyone in our team each year to ensure that you can always keep sharpening your skills!

We also periodically invite external subject matter experts to provide training on specialist subjects.

We want our people to be up-to-the-minute on latest trends, and network with people in our industry and those of our clients – so we also encourage attendance at relevant conferences and events, in the UK and abroad.

Train ing And Networking - £2,000 Annual Budget Per Person

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Be Proud Of Your Work

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At BlueGlass, we believe that performance management is

something that happens every day.

We do still do formal reviews, though, as important checkpoints to ensure everything is progressing well and you feel you’re developing.

Part of ensuring you’re set up for success is being clear on your quarterly rocks (see next slide).

Reviewing Performance

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We have a wall of “Rocks” (technically a wall with paper taped to it) in the

BlueGlass office; don’t hesitate to walk on over and read them.

In short, these are the company goals for the year and current quarter. Each person also has their own personal Rocks linked to the quarterly ones.

Everyone writes up 3 to 5 Rocks which coordinate with the annual quarterly calendar. These should be signed off by your direct line manager and then stuck to the wall with your name.

Sett ing Your Rocks

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We review salaries across the team every quarter – this doesn’t

guarantee a pay rise, but it ensures we’re paying a competitive rate.

Pay rises are awarded on both performance and adherence to the company values. They’re always discretionary.

We also offer a profit share scheme, distributed on a quarterly basis as a thank you for the team’s hard work.

Salary Reviews, Pay Rises And Bonuses

“Pay rises are awarded on both performance and adherence to the company values.”

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At BlueGlass, you receive private medical insurance from

Vitality health (after your probation period). This offers a number of rewards, including a subsidised gym membership.

Plus there’s the occasional BG swag, cakes and other treats – sometimes it’s the little things.

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Always be learning - we believe the best way to improve your knowledge

is to surround yourself with smart people, who have a positive attitude towards continuously improving themselves.

We win and lose together! BlueGlass is proud of its roster of awards, and we have won at least one every year since we launched.

Members of the BlueGlass team take turns to don evening wear and attend industry award events, which have included:

• Content Marketing Agency of the Year (The Drum Network)

• Best Use of Search in Travel and Retail (UK Search Awards)

• Best SEO Campaign (European Search Awards)

Surround Yoursel f With Talent

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Act ing With Honesty and Respect

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It’s crucial that everyone at BlueGlass communicates clearly, politely and

always in line with the company values – whether it’s on a client call or at a team event.

At BlueGlass, we support one another, share learning, offer help or ideas when needed and give our honest opinion in a constructive way.

We prefer to use collaborative tools such as Asana rather than create lengthy email trails.

We communicate in good time – before something becomes a problem, before a deadline is due.

We are positive in our communications.

Communicat ing Clear ly

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Everyone at BlueGlass is equally valued.

Everyone behaves with decency and respect.

We use the right language; for example, the team is made up of women and men, not girls and boys. Want to know more? Check out our Policy Book.

Equal i ty And Respect

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BlueGlass runs a paper-free office – printing is only for documents that

can’t be e-signed. There are also periodic opportunities to volunteer within the digital industry – for example, judging awards.

We also have a weekly R&D time, where we can offer pro-bono work to charities - this is something we have done recently, by providing an SEO audit and consultancy to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Being Responsible

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Li fe Isn’ t Perfect

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Making mistakesIt’s OK to make mistakes - it’s how we learn. The key thing is to make sure we learn from these experiences, to seek help early, and to be honest about what’s happened.

Asking for helpIf you’re finding your workload unmanageable, or are struggling to meet deadlines, talk to your pod leader or line manager as soon as you can.

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“It’s OK to make mistakes - it’s how we learn. The key thing is to make sure we learn from these experiences.”

www.blueglass.co.uk

At BlueGlass, we aim to foster a supportive, friendly and relaxed

environment. But sometimes, even with the best will in the world, there may be occasional conflict or tension.

If you feel this is happening, the first thing to do is to talk to your line manager, or our HR adviser, who will offer independent advice.

If you want to understand what the policies are, please consult the Policy Book on Asana.

What To Do When Things Go WrongC

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We don’t want anyone to leave; we hired you because we value you.

But if you do feel it’s time to move on, talk to the managers as early as possible, as we might be able to find a way to accommodate your needs.

If you still want or need to leave, have an honest and open conversation with us and we’ll do everything to support you. Leaving with strong ties will be great for us both.

And please stay in touch!

Leaving BlueGlass

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Last Words

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“BlueGlass enables you to learn more in two weeks than you could ever imagine. The ability to continuously learn around such a talented team is incredible.””Antonio Wedral, Content Strategist

“There’s so much opportunity to make projects your own here; if you’re prepared to put in the work, you can make

it happen. Plus, free lunch every Friday and a ski trip in the winter - honestly, what more do you want?”

James Barrass-Banks, Digital PR Specialist

“One of my favourite things about BlueGlass culture is the R&D sessions we have on Friday afternoon. It’s a great way to encourage further learning of the industry”Sherin Malick, Content Strategist

Last Words. . .