Anti-Hooli Corporate Principle
Setting
Pied Piper was founded by former Hooli employees who witnessed firsthand the dystopian corporate culture of Big Tech. Hooli's practices included:
- Restrictive non-compete clauses (illegal in California)
- Cult-like corporate spirituality programs
- User data monetization without consent
- Acquisition and burial of innovative technology
This principle establishes Pied Piper's core identity as the antithesis of Hooli.
People
- Responsible: Richard Hendricks (CEO/Founder)
- Approvers: Founding Team (Richard, Gilfoyle, Dinesh, Erlich)
- Consulted: Peter Gregory (Initial Investor)
- Informed: All future employees and investors
Alternatives
Option A: Adopt Standard Silicon Valley Practices
Pros:
- Easier fundraising from traditional VCs
- Familiar playbook for growth
- Lower short-term friction
Cons:
- Perpetuates harmful industry norms
- Risk of becoming what we hate
- No differentiation from competitors
Option B: Establish Anti-Hooli Principle
Pros:
- Clear ethical foundation
- Attracts mission-aligned talent
- Authentic differentiation
- User trust
Cons:
- May limit certain business models
- Harder to monetize
- Investors may not understand
Decision
Chosen: Option B - Establish Anti-Hooli Principle
Rationale: We started this company because we believed technology should serve users, not exploit them. If we become Hooli, we've already lost.
Core Tenets
- No restrictive employment contracts - California law prohibits non-competes; we embrace this
- No cult-like culture - No mandatory meditation, no corporate spirituality
- No data exploitation - We will never sell user data or enable ad-mining
- Technology for users - Our tech must benefit end users, not just shareholders
Consequences
Positive
- +Clear moral compass for all decisions
- +Strong team alignment on values
- +User trust and loyalty
Negative
- −Revenue constraints (no ad revenue)
- −Some investors won't understand
- −May lose deals to less principled competitors
Follow-up Actions
- Document in founding principles
- Include in employee onboarding
- Reference in all major decisions