Taco Bytes: 10 Lessons for 10 Years of Building HeyTaco

From Taco Trophies to Culture Clubs: Building Teams That Thrive

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2236199/fan_mail/new] What does it actually take to make people feel seen at work — and keep it going? In this episode, Una from HeyTaco sits down with Sheena, a longtime culture builder and HeyTaco admin, to share what actually moved the needle for her team. Not theory. Real tactics, real stories, real results. They walk through four pillars of building culture with peer recognition — Connection, Visibility, Engagement, and Culture — and for each one, they dig into the symptoms to watch for and the specific things you can do about them. You'll hear how Sheena used core value hashtags to make company values something people actually did (and how she discovered two of their five values were never showing up), why bringing Taco Shoutouts into all-company meetings changed the whole energy in the room, and how a rotating Culture Club helped her keep recognition fresh for years. If you've ever wondered how to get peer recognition off the ground — or how to make it feel meaningful again after the novelty wears off — this one's for you. 🌮

Taco Bytes: 10 Lessons for 10 Years of Building HeyTaco

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2236199/fan_mail/new] To celebrate HeyTaco’s 10th birthday, Una sits down with HeyTaco founder Doug Dosberg for a heartfelt and hilarious trip down memory lane. In this special Taco Bytes episode, Doug shares 10 powerful lessons from a decade of building a gratitude-powered business—complete with taco costumes, customer stories, and Beyoncé GIFs. If you’re a startup founder, team builder, or taco enthusiast, this one’s for you. Highlights from the Episode * The Big 1-0: Doug reflects on what it feels like to hit the 10-year mark and why it doesn’t feel like it’s been that long. * Behind the List: How he went from “I don’t have any lessons” to “I have too many lessons.” * Lesson Threads: The top 10 takeaways cover everything from building a bootstrapped SaaS to designing human-centered recognition. Doug’s 10 Lessons for 10 Years 1. Building a business is hard — It takes time, patience, and the courage not to quit when things get tough. 2. Don’t do it for the money — Solving a real problem beats chasing revenue any day. 3. Work on a problem you actually feel — Doug built HeyTaco because he knew what it felt like to do meaningful work and feel invisible. 4. Your customers are the best investors you’ll ever have — He bootstrapped HeyTaco from day one, and never took outside funding. 5. Tools don’t create culture. People do. — A moving story about a team using tacos to lift up a teammate shows that culture lives in moments, not mechanics. 6. Customer service is the product — Doug still checks the support inbox. Listening to users fuels innovation. 7. Recognition works best when it’s imperfect — Typos, emojis, and awkward phrasing are features, not bugs. 8. Recognition is a leading indicator — Tacos often spike before major milestones (like a little ChatGPT launch 👀). 9. Recognition reveals what actually matters — Teams can reverse-engineer their real values by looking at what teammates thank each other for. 10. HeyTaco is just a vehicle — The mission is bigger: help people treat each other better and feel appreciated at work. Also in This Episode * Doug’s taco costume makes a triumphant return * Una compares the HeyTaco dashboard to a football stadium noise meter (she’s not wrong) * A spicy debate about AI vs. human support Favorite Quote > “HeyTaco is just a vehicle. The real work is helping people treat each other better and feel appreciated.”

TacoBytes: Inside the HeyTaco Hall of Fame

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2236199/fan_mail/new] In this episode of Taco Bytes, Doug and Una dive into what truly makes workplace cultures thrive: givers. Together, they explore why the most impactful people on teams are often the quiet, consistent supporters—the ones who notice effort, celebrate progress, and lift others up without expecting anything in return. The conversation centers on the HeyTaco Hall of Fame, an annual recognition honoring individuals (not teams!) who embody the spirit of gratitude day in and day out. Doug and Una share what inspired the Hall of Fame, what makes someone worthy of induction, and stories from recent inductees who show that meaningful culture isn’t built by the loudest voices—but by those who show up with generosity, empathy, and consistency. Along the way, they touch on how recognition works best when it’s frequent and sincere, why small gestures matter more than we think, and how playful elements like TacoTars help gamify gratitude without losing its heart. Whether you’re a leader, a teammate, or just someone who wants to make work a little better for the people around you, this episode is a reminder that giving credit freely can change someone’s entire day—and sometimes, an entire team. 🌮 Key Takeaways * Great workplace cultures are built by givers, not takers * Recognition is most powerful when it’s consistent and freely given * The HeyTaco Hall of Fame celebrates individuals, not teams * Inductees are honored for quality and consistency, not one-off moments * Being a giver means noticing and celebrating even the small wins * TacoTars add a fun, gamified layer to recognition * Hall of Fame inductees get to design their own taco avatar 🌮 * Members earn serious bragging rights (the best kind) * Finding positivity—even in tough moments—matters * Small acts of recognition can have an outsized impact on someone’s day

TacoBytes: Celebrating the Days That Matter – Introducing HeyTaco Milestones

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2236199/fan_mail/new] In this episode of TacoBytes, Una and Doug take you behind the scenes of HeyTaco’s newest feature: Milestones—a fun and effortless way to celebrate your team’s birthdays and work anniversaries, right in Slack. They explore why recognition on these personal milestones matters more than we often admit, how it used to be done (balloons, cakes, and jackets, anyone?), and how HeyTaco is making these celebrations feel authentic—even when they’re automated. You’ll hear how customer stories shaped the feature, why it’s more than just a calendar reminder, and how Milestones brings back the joy of being seen—without the spreadsheet chaos or 5:45 AM Slack messages. Whether you’re part of a remote team or managing culture at scale, this is a fun and thoughtful conversation about celebrating people, not just performance. 👉 Learn more about Milestones [https://heytaco.com/features/milestones]and how you can use it to make your team feel valued on the days that matter most. Key Takeaways * Why birthdays and work anniversaries matter: These “non-performance” moments are key to making people feel seen and valued. * The problem with current solutions: Manual reminders and HR-managed celebrations don’t scale—and can feel impersonal. * HeyTaco’s solution: Milestones lets teammates be recognized automatically, in public or private channels, while keeping the celebration personal. * The real magic: It’s not just about the automation—it’s about creating a moment that invites everyone to join in with tacos, emojis, and appreciation. * Recognition is about being seen: Just like a college athlete’s jacket or a 10-year trip to Jamaica, the memories stick when recognition feels earned and visible. Resources & Links * Learn more about HeyTaco Milestones * Try Milestones free in your Slack workspace via the Admin → Milestones tab * Explore how HeyTaco can help build a culture of gratitude → heytaco.com Quotes to Remember * “Recognition isn’t just about big wins. It’s about being seen—and being seen with that jacket on.” – Doug * “We used to say: automated = bad. But Milestones changed our mind.” – Una

The ROI of Delight & the Power of a Well-Thought-Out Gift with Katy Carrigan

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2236199/fan_mail/new] In this episode of the Amazing Teams podcast, we sat down with Katy Carrigan, CEO of Goody, to explore how thoughtful gifting drives employee engagement and recognition. They discuss the power of personalization, celebrating milestones, and building a culture of appreciation. The conversation also delves into leadership transparency, empowering teams, and how Goody navigates growth while keeping the recipient experience at the heart of it all. We dive into: * Why physical gifts often have more impact than monetary ones * The common oversight of missing work anniversaries * How remote work calls for more intentional recognition * Why action and follow-through are key to building trust Tune in for Katy’s insights on creating meaningful moments that make teams feel truly valued. Resources: * Connect with Katy [https://www.linkedin.com/in/katycarrigan/] on LinkedIn * Learn more about Goody [https://www.ongoody.com/] * How Katy became the CEO of Goody [https://www.ongoody.com/blog/an-interview-with-goodys-new-ceo-katy-carrigan?srsltid=AfmBOormWeQFB6byZLkL3nD7t3-euAesC72V_x979EP2OPfcNhpxrynt]