Maple Core Values

Core Values are the ideals that hold true throughout all of our work with clients and with each other. They represent how we would like the world at large to think of everyone involved in Maple.

Objectives

It’s important to know the direction we’re going on the projects we work on. We start by identifying objectives and key results even if it’s a small project. This way we can take responsibility for the projects we commit to. Whether you’re a coaching client or working on a custom website, we have a clear process to understanding the value your project will provide.

Big Picture

Maps reveal opportunities, barriers, and possible pathways to achieve an objective. Instead of creating rigid linear plans, we believe in researching the options and getting input from all stakeholders involved.

When we work on creative project we always establish the direction we’re going so we can embrace the opportunities that emerge along the way.

Playfulness

Everyone deserves work that is fun and engaging. Being playful is a kind of openness that allows creativity to thrive. We’re inspired by the spinning seeds of a Maple tree, dancing in the wind as they search for a place to take root. These are ideas with wings!

Resourcefulness

We are incredibly resourceful in overcoming our barriers, and we trust that we can call on our network for support when we get stuck. There is an abundance of solutions waiting to be discovered or designed.

Be Helpful

Being helpful and providing real value is the only “marketing” we need to engage in.

We’ll never pitch a project without really understanding the need. After all, our space is very limited – so a big part of our work is referring people to solutions.

Successful projects require trust, which is developed by showing up and seeking the win-win solutions. Success happens together – for us, the clients… but also in our ability to give back to the land, animals, spirits.

Just like a maple tree, we become more and more efficient in our processes and it’s through this efficiency that we are abundant and can provide so much to the world around us.

Collaboration

Through teamwork, friendship, and support we cultivate a sense of abundance and possibility. We know that anything is possible because everyone involved in a project (us and clients) are able to bring something valuable to the table. We play to our strengths rather than try to fit ourselves into a cookie cutter mold. Through collaboration, we can be ourselves.

Flexibility

No system, process, or procedure is set in stone. It’s simply a seed… a blueprint for a possible outcome. We are flexible in finding a way to achieve the outcome that we commit to, even if there is no clear path at the moment. We uphold this value by adapting our projects with clients around any emerging details that come up. If the conditions change it’s wise to accept them and change with them.

Leadership

Some people on the team will have more experience in a particular area (like web-development) than others. This is an opportunity for mentorship and leadership. We all have opportunities to lead as well as be guided. We’re walking down the path, and if you know the way, please step up and guide us.

Documentation

We take every opportunity to take notes, create a map, or tell a story that will help someone else in the future. Documenting our work creates transparency, opportunity, access, and helps to make our work more effective because we have a way to measure, improve, and be sure that we’re completing a task. This value is represented in our team documents as well as support docs and video training for clients.

Mistakes

Growth does not happen in a straight line, and the rings on a tree are not perfect circles. The process of learning and developing skill requires mistakes, challenges, and even feelings of inadequacy… there is simply no way around the mistakes so we can just accept them and move on without shame. That’s why we have a team. When something goes awry we seek to improve the process.

Care

By caring for ourselves and each other we can be present with our client work. Creative work is an opportunity to develop our own identities, confidence, and joy. Building a website is often a process of self-discovery for clients too. We uphold our values of care by offering space to dig deep, be vulnerable, and make space for growth.

Agency

We each have agency and choice to be involved in any particular project that we’re working on. No one on the team is required to do anything they are not excited to do, and no one is required to continue working on something that isn’t working for them. The result is that we bring more than just design skills. We bring ideas, innovation, care, and compassion to our projects.

Communication

Design projects are collaborative and vulnerable. The best design work will challenge us to try new things and be innovative. All of this relies on consistent and clear communication. We uphold this value by scheduling client updates, providing a client portal, and using a support ticket system so things don’t slip by.

Quality

We seek to provide the highest quality service and outcome that we can. The world needs us to step up and hone our craft – to stay sharp and forward thinking. We uphold our value of quality with rigorous testing, hiring experts to proof our concepts, and keeping good documentation of our process.

Simplicity

The simplest solution is always the best solution. By prioritizing simplicity we’re also reducing future risks that things will fall apart. We uphold this by aligning with the direction WordPress is going with block themes and using as few plugins as possible. We design websites that our clients can be empowered to use.

Service

We are honing our skills in service of a larger meaning – supporting the magical web of life which sustains, delights, and surprises us. This means taking on projects for that align with our values. By aligning our services with our values, our work is meaningful, and the outcomes we create for clients are even more meaningful.