The brand’s head of people and culture says the challenge keeps her up at night
When businesses grow quickly, it can be hard to hang onto the hunger and energy that powered early success.
But Australian athleisure success story LSKD is determined to remain true to its start up culture - even as revenues are predicted to hit $150 million this year and new stores open.
“Culture is at the centre of everything we do,” Chantelle Williams, head of people and culture at LSKD, told HRD.
“As we grow, what keeps me—and our CEO—up at night is how we scale while preserving our culture of learning, failing forward, and becoming 1% better every day.”
LSKD recruits people who are humble, hungry, and people smart, according to Williams.
“Skill sets can be developed, but shared values are the foundation of everything. That’s what creates mutual respect and trust," she said.
Candidates for jobs at LSKD won't find themselves just answering traditional questions about their skills and experience. As part of the recruitment process, the company provides a reading list and are gifted Delivering Happiness by entrepreneur Tony Hsieh - with candidates discussing their thoughts of the book.
Other titles in the library include Jim Collins' influential management book Good to Great or Can't Hurt Me by former US navy seal David Goggins.
Williams says this approach helps to showcases character over credentials - with things like humility, drive, and emotional intelligence being the real differentiators.
“Once the right people are in, we let them fly. They're responsible and thrive when given freedom to think differently and collaborate openly,” Williams added.
Leadership consultant Tracy Lawrence recently told Forbes that in today’s high-pressure environment, “organizations can no longer afford to let their cultures evolve passively or cling to outdated norms. Success in 2025 and beyond requires actively shaping culture to align with strategic goals instead of allowing it to develop by default.”
People who share the same values get more done in less time. They enjoy working with each other. This leads to higher staff retention and more productivity, innovation, efficiency, and profitability, according to the Australian Centre for Business Growth.
With LSKD aiming to be a $1 billion company by the 2030s, culture and its employer value proposition is more important than ever.
“We know the best product talent often isn’t in Australia,” Williams said.
“So we’re building teams in the US - with an office in San Diego - and UK to help us grow beyond Australia and New Zealand. We have our sights set on continuing our rest of the world strategy, whilst staying true to the values created by the team collectively in 2018."
Williams described the journey as "massive" from 2002 when the brand LooseKid was created by CEO Jason Daniels when he was telling t-shirts and motocross race emets and storing the stock in his mum's back yard.
“We’re always at day one,” she says. “We want people to feel that raw, startup energy—whether they’re in Brisbane or San Diego. It’s this that stands us apart from others. Many have had to unlearn corporate background to keep up with this. We turn up to work in gym wear,” Williams jovially noted.
LSKD’s EVP strategy has attracted a younger workforce.
“We’re always asking, what does opportunity look like for our people in five or ten years? How do we make sure we’re creating purpose and potential that evolves with them?” Williams said.
That means embedding career growth into every layer of the employee experience. From sponsoring fitness competitions to investing in both professional and personal development, LSKD aims to build long-term careers—not just roles.
