This is our company culture handbook - in the spirit of transparency, we are making this public to explain all things Re:signal for new starters!

1. CULTUREBOOKCulture Book

2. www.blueglass.co.uk
CULTUREBOOK
Contents
1. Hello And Welcome
2. The BlueGlass Way
3. Joining The Team
4. Daily Life at BlueGlass
5. Work x Life
6. Learning Never Stops
7. Be Proud Of Your Work
8. Doing The Right Thing
9. Life Isn’t Perfect
10. Final words
CULTUREBOOK

3. www.blueglass.co.uk
CULTUREBOOK
Welcome to BlueGlass

4. www.blueglass.co.uk
CULTUREBOOK
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!
CULTUREBOOK

5. www.blueglass.co.uk
CULTUREBOOK
The BlueGlass Way

6. www.blueglass.co.uk
CULTUREBOOK
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

7. www.blueglass.co.uk
CULTUREBOOK
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?

8. www.blueglass.co.uk
CULTUREBOOK
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

9. www.blueglass.co.uk
CULTUREBOOK
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 Zurich and Tallinn Offices

10. www.blueglass.co.uk
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 - Growth
CULTUREBOOK

11. www.blueglass.co.uk
CULTUREBOOK
Since launching we have
won a number of industry awards
2013
Best Use of Search
in Third Sector
2014
Best SEO
Campaign
2015
Best Use of Search
in Third Sector
2015
Best Use of Social Media
in a Search Campaign
2016
Best Use of Search in
Travel & Best Use of
Search in Retail
2016
Content Marketing
Agency of the Year
2017
Best Mobile
Campaign

12. www.blueglass.co.uk
CULTUREBOOK
BlueGlass Vision (Where Are
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

13. www.blueglass.co.uk
CULTUREBOOK
The BlueGlass Mission
Our mission is simple, we aim to
produce organic growth for our
clients by combining the best in SEO,
content marketing and digital PR.

14. www.blueglass.co.uk
CULTUREBOOK
How do we achieve this mission?
We’re lean, nimble and specialised which
means we can:
1. Work with a select group of clients
2. Form aligned relationships to really
understand clients’ brands
3. Focus our work efficiently on what’s
most important
4. Educate our clients by sharing and
challenging ideas
5. Spend time experimenting to improve
our creativity
6. Recruit talent with strong experience
and a can-do attitude
7. Go the extra mile to get real,
business results!
How We Do It

15. www.blueglass.co.uk
CULTUREBOOK
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 work
2. We win and lose together
3. Take responsibility for your actions
4. Learning never stops
5. Act with honesty
The BlueGlass Values

16. www.blueglass.co.uk
CULTUREBOOK
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

17. www.blueglass.co.uk
CULTUREBOOK
Meet The Team - Leadership,
Strategy, Delivery and Finance
David Iwanow
Director of Strategy
David focuses on
developing our strategy
for the team and clients.
Irma Hunkeler
Head of Content
Irma joined BlueGlass in 2013
and oversees the delivery of our
content marketing work to clients.
Howard Jackson
Finance Director
Howard’s experience helps to
provide the financial expertise
to maintain our fast growth.
Kevin Gibbons
Co-founder and CEO
Kevin oversees the vision and
strategic direction on how we
grow as an agency.
Chelsea Blacker
Co-founder and Managing Director
Chelsea manages a range of key
clients, and organises the team
to maximise client success.

18. www.blueglass.co.uk
CULTUREBOOK
Joining The Team

19. www.blueglass.co.uk
CULTUREBOOK
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.”

20. www.blueglass.co.uk
CULTUREBOOK
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 Interview 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

21. www.blueglass.co.uk
CULTUREBOOK
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 Experience 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

22. www.blueglass.co.uk
CULTUREBOOK
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 First Days, Weeks and Months

23. www.blueglass.co.uk
CULTUREBOOK
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

24. www.blueglass.co.uk
CULTUREBOOK
Daily Life
At BlueGlass HQ

25. www.blueglass.co.uk
CULTUREBOOK
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 Office

26. www.blueglass.co.uk
CULTUREBOOK
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

27. www.blueglass.co.uk
CULTUREBOOK
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

28. www.blueglass.co.uk
Meet Roger
CULTUREBOOK
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.

29. www.blueglass.co.uk
CULTUREBOOK
The Kitchen
CULTUREBOOK
The kitchen provides everything
you need - fridge, kettle, microwave,
toaster, tea and coffee.
We all try to keep this area tidy
and clean.

30. www.blueglass.co.uk
CULTUREBOOK
• 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 Life of a BlueGlasser

31. www.blueglass.co.uk
CULTUREBOOK
Work x Life: Getting
The Balance Right

32. www.blueglass.co.uk
CULTUREBOOK
• 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.
Office 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

33. www.blueglass.co.uk
CULTUREBOOK
• 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 Holiday

34. www.blueglass.co.uk
CULTUREBOOK
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.
Feeling Poorly?

35. www.blueglass.co.uk
CULTUREBOOK
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

36. www.blueglass.co.uk
CULTUREBOOK
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!
Socials and Team Events

37. www.blueglass.co.uk
Annual International 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...
CULTUREBOOK

38. www.blueglass.co.uk
CULTUREBOOK
Learning Never Stops

39. www.blueglass.co.uk
CULTUREBOOK
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.”

40. www.blueglass.co.uk
CULTUREBOOK
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

41. www.blueglass.co.uk
CULTUREBOOK
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.
Training And Networking - £2,000
Annual Budget Per Person

42. www.blueglass.co.uk
CULTUREBOOK
Be Proud Of Your Work

43. www.blueglass.co.uk
CULTUREBOOK
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

44. www.blueglass.co.uk
CULTUREBOOK
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.
Setting Your Rocks

45. www.blueglass.co.uk
CULTUREBOOK
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.”

46. www.blueglass.co.uk
CULTUREBOOK
More BlueGlass Benefits
CULTUREBOOK
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.

47. www.blueglass.co.uk
CULTUREBOOK
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 Yourself With Talent

48. www.blueglass.co.uk
CULTUREBOOK
Acting With Honesty
and Respect

49. www.blueglass.co.uk
CULTUREBOOK
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.
Communicating Clearly

50. www.blueglass.co.uk
CULTUREBOOK
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.
Equality And Respect

51. www.blueglass.co.uk
CULTUREBOOK
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

52. www.blueglass.co.uk
CULTUREBOOK
Life Isn’t Perfect

53. www.blueglass.co.uk
Making mistakes
It’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 help
If 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.
What To Do When Things Go Wrong
CULTUREBOOK
“It’s OK to make mistakes - it’s how we
learn. The key thing is to make sure we
learn from these experiences.”

54. 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 Wrong
CULTUREBOOK

55. www.blueglass.co.uk
CULTUREBOOK
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

56. www.blueglass.co.uk
CULTUREBOOK
Last Words

57. www.blueglass.co.uk
CULTUREBOOK
“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...