St. Pete’s Squaremouth Named Fastest-Growing and Best Workplace Amid HQ Move to Historic Church

Last Updated: July 26, 2018February 9, 2022 — 2 min read

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. July 26, 2018 — St. Pete’s Silicon Valley-esque Squaremouth has been named the 23rd fastest-growing company in the region by the Tampa Bay Business Journal and one of the best companies to work for in Florida by Florida Trend.

Squaremouth’s annual revenue exceeded $10 million in 2017, a more than $3.4 million increase over the previous year. This consistent growth is exemplified by the company’s seventh appearance on the Tampa Bay Business Journal’s Fast 50 list, with this year marking their highest jump, up 24 spots to number 23. It is also the company’s fourth year being recognized by Florida Trend.

The awards come at an exciting time for the small company, which is going through major changes. After outgrowing its downtown penthouse office, Squaremouth purchased a nearly 60-year-old, 20,000-square-foot church, and is transforming it into a state-of-the-art workspace.

The purchase of the church is Squaremouth’s biggest financial decision to date, and represents the company’s correlation between happy employees and a successful business.

“Our greatest investment will always be in our employees. Purchasing this building gives us the freedom to create whatever we want,” explains Co-Founder and CEO Chris Harvey. “We ask everyone to contribute their ideas, and we discuss the construction plans weekly during company meetings.”

Squaremouth has big restoration plans to transform the church, which spans an entire city block on Central Avenue. Preliminary plans include tree houses, a suspension bridge, nap pods, a bar, a gym, and a spa. Future plans include a public coffee shop and co-working space.

Even before the purchase of the church, Squaremouth had become known for its unique culture and benefits. Employees are given unlimited paid vacation (with a 10-day minimum), mandatory birthdays off with a $200 beer bonus and a quarterly bonus based off profits, in addition to their traditional medical and 401k benefits. Other popular perks include a relaxed dress code, paid lunch and an office happy hour on Friday afternoons.

However, employees agree their favorite aspect of Squaremouth’s culture is the transparency. The only walls in the company’s last office were glass. If there are any walls in the new space, chances are they’ll be transparent as well.

“We work in a very open environment. This is really representative of the company on a larger scale – everything is transparent, from coworkers’ salaries to the company’s financials,” said Design Team Manager, Anna Gernandt.

Despite major changes and accelerated growth, Squaremouth has remained true to its roots: no outside investors, no upselling tactics, no sales goals or commission. Instead, the company focuses on providing exceptional customer service and improving its website technology.

This approach, coupled with happy employees, is what the CEO attributes to the company’s growth and success throughout the years.