The document outlines the core values of Macaroni Kid, a company that connects families to local activities and businesses. It describes the company's origins 12 years ago with the idea to empower talented mothers and connect organizations with families. The 10 core values that guide the company are then presented: 1) Enrich communities, 2) Empower each other, 3) Be responsive, kind and generous, 4) Put family first, 5) Dream, 6) Create, 7) Innovate and take risks, 8) Be curious, 9) Treat business personally, and 10) Collaborate instead of compete. Examples are given for how the company lives these values in supporting their 570 publishers and empowering mothers.

1. The Way of the Macaroni
A Macaroni Manifesto.

2. WHAT’S
THE WAY OF THE MACARONI?

3. • The Way of the
Macaroni are our
core values.
• Our North Star.
• The way we do what
we do.

4. The 10 values that
define our culture and
make us who we are.

5. But first, a history lesson.

6. 12 years ago, we believed two things.

7. First:
We knew there was a tremendous amount of
underutilized talent among moms.
. . .

8. Lawyers. Doctors. Teachers.
Marketing execs. Speech therapists.
Bartenders. Architects. Newspaper
reporters. Brand managers.
Accountants. EMTs. Actresses.
Social workers. Scientists.
Dressmakers. Nurses. Engineers.

9. Smart, creative, talented women who
had stepped onto a different path
once they had kids.

10. They weren’t done working.
They just needed a better way.

11. Second:
We knew there were millions of organizations working
hard every day to create awesome, enriching
programing for kids and families. Libraries.
Rec centers. Community houses.
And millions of local, family-focused businesses.

12. And we knew there was a disconnect
between those organizations
and the families they sought to serve.

13. Hiking in the
mountains of
British Columbia,
we had an idea.

14. That Idea became
Macaroni Kid.

15. They told us we were
crazy. One “important”
guy told us the business
would work when pigs fly.

16. Today, 570 Macaroni
Kid Publishers make
pigs fly every day.

17. And we are more than a company.

18. WE ARE A FAMILY

19. A family guided by The Way of the Macaroni.
• Our core values.
• Who we strive to be.
• We don’t always get it right.
• But we always keep trying.
without further ado …

20. 1. Enrich our communities.
2. Empower each other.
3. Be responsive, kind and generous of time and spirit.
4. Put family first, but don’t lose sight of self.
5. Dream.
6. Create.
7. Innovate. Take risks. Make mistakes. Fix. Repeat.
8. Be curious.
9. Business is personal.
10. Collaboration, not competition.
The Way of the Macaroni

21. 1 ENRICH
OUR
COMMUNITIES

22. We tell millions of families about
thousands of things they can do
every week.

23. We shine a
light on
local
businesses

24. We commit many,
many acts of kindness.

26. 2 EMPOWER
EACH
OTHER

27. We believe it is better to bring someone
up than it is to tear her down

28. We know that the whole is greater
than the sum of its parts.

29. We know that the guy who told us that
women can’t work together (yup, the
flying pig guy) was wrong.

30. We know that
every woman has a
magic wand to help
another woman

31. The most successful Macaroni Kid
Publishers mentor newer Publishers and
share generously of their advice

32. Coincidence?

33. Not a chance

34. 3 BE RESPONSIVE, KIND
AND GENEROUS OF
TIME AND SPIRIT.

35. When hurricanes forced
many Publishers and their
families to evacuate their
homes, dozens of other
Publishers offered shelter.
To people they had never
met. Without hesitation.

36. When one Publisher asks for
advice on the Break Room,
dozens respond.

37. When a client calls,
we answer.

38. When a community needs help,
we help

39. 4 PUT FAMILY FIRST,
BUT DON’T LOSE
SIGHT OF SELF.

40. We call it taking
care of mama
bear.

41. It’s hard. We are all busy.
Too busy. Our families are our
priority. But we know we need
to put our mask on first

42. Otherwise, we have no oxygen
to help others.

43. 5 DREAM.

44. We believe in big dreams. But your
own big dreams. Because my
dream might not be your dream.
So we ask, what is your dream?

45. We believe in the power of YET.
We haven’t achieved all
of our dreams.
YET.

46. “What do
dreams know of
boundaries?”
-- Amelia Earhart --

47. 6 CREATE

49. We are writers.
We are citizen journalists.
We are photographers.
We are videographers.

50. Every day, we create stories, images and
ideas that hadn’t existed the day before.

51. We are
CONTENT CREATORS

52. Who believe
in a culture of
creativity

54. 7 INNOVATE.
TAKE RISKS.
MAKE MISTAKES.
FIX.
REPEAT.

55. We take lots of risks around here. We try
new things. Some work and some don’t. It’s
hard when they don’t work. But it’s okay.
We dust ourselves off and try again.

56. Because trying new things is part of our
culture.
Because taking risks is important.
Because few great things ever came of
playing it safe.

57. And because
“well behaved
women seldom
make history.”
-- Laurel Thatcher Ulrich --

58. 8 BE CURIOUS.

60. We love to learn
new things. That’s
good because
digital media,
social media and
the work we do
changes every day.

61. Encouraging Macaroni Kid
Publishers to expand their
horizons, explore new adventures
and embrace new experiences is
a key part of our mission.

62. That’s why Meet Up
has been in the
mountains, on the
beach, in Las Vegas,
at Club Med …

63. And Silver Daisy
Boondoggle has
been at Grande
Lakes, Bowling
Green, San
Jose, Riviera
Nayarit …

64. 9 BUSINESS IS
PERSONAL.

65. Ever hear someone say, “it’s not personal, it’s
just business” when they screw you?
We think that’s crap. We put people first and
know that business is personal.
These are people’s dreams, families and
futures. Of course it’s personal.

66. But …

67. Sometimes that means we have to make hard
decisions for the good of the entire community.

68. 10 COLLABORATION, NOT
COMPETITION.

69. We know that a rising tide lifts all ships.

70. Every single Macaroni Kid Publisher has their
own community. That helps us collaborate.

71. We help each other
succeed.

72. Because it is the right thing to do.

73. And
because we
all share
one brand.

74. We are good neighbors

75. Even to our competitors

76. Because at the end of
the day . . .

77. . . . it is about making the
world a better place for
our children and
our children's children.

78. Macaroni Kid is more than a company.
We are a family. A community
that shares one brand and one mission.
To empower moms. And enrich communities
We call it E2.

79. We don’t always get it right.

80. But we’ll never
stop trying.

81. Thank you for
being part of this
Macaroni Kid journey.