Trans Africa Insurance Brokers: Culture Fulfillment Case Study

From Insurance to Intention

Dar es Salaam–based Trans Africa Insurance Brokers has been in operation for over 20 years, providing insurance and risk advisory services across Tanzania. With a small team of just 11, the company had ambition but lacked alignment.

Old company values had been written decades earlier, but never lived. Processes were informal. Benefits varied across staff. Contracts and KPIs didn’t exist. The CEO described the culture bluntly: “There was no culture. If I wasn’t there, people would be doing their own things.”

Leadership realized that without a shared culture, the company couldn’t scale sustainably. At an Entrepreneurs’ Organization learning event, the CEO discovered The Culture Fix® and saw a solution: build a culture of accountability, alignment, and purpose.

From No Culture to Valued Culture

Before The Culture Fix® process began, staff looked to directors for every decision. Misalignment showed up in many ways:

• People arrived late.
• Roles blurred, everyone went to the CEO as the boss.
• Pay raises were demanded annually without performance conversations.
• Some staff received benefits while others did not.

The company’s growth had stagnated. Yet, being small also meant Trans Africa had the agility to transform quickly if the team could align.

Through Culture Surveys, discovery sessions, and facilitated workshops, The Culture Fix® helped the team unlock a sense of ownership. Will Scott brought energy and encouragement, ensuring every staff member had a voice. He also introduced the Integrator role, reducing dependency on the CEO.

Together, the team defined their CorePurpose™: “Bringing peace of mind.”

They also articulated four authentic values that formed the acronym GROW:

• Growth
• Respect
• Optimism
• Waledi (Swahili for Professionalism)

What made these values special was that they came directly from the staff, not top-down. Swahili translations were included, grounding the values in Tanzania’s culture. As the CEO explained:

“The most important thing is that the entire team was involved. They came up with the values themselves. They have no reason not to live by them.”

CoreVals Rooted in Tanzanian Culture

One of the highlights of the process was the CoreChart™, designed with interlocking gears to symbolize how each value depends on the others. The chart was displayed prominently in the office and even turned into an animated version for digital use using the sound track from a customized, unique, and AI generated track with of course, Afrobeats.

The workshops also gave birth to a powerful mantra: “We’ve got your back.”

This phrase, often said by CEO Anand Patel introduced by Will, resonated deeply. It became a rallying cry inside the company and quickly translated into client relationships, shaping the way staff interacted with customers and stakeholders.

For the CEO, the most moving moment was realizing that his people finally had values they believed in and could act on daily.

Core People Processes: Tools in Action

Trans Africa began embedding Culture Fix® tools into operations:

• Notice & Nominate™: Staff were encouraged to recognize each other when living the values. While still evolving, leadership is committed to linking nominations with tangible rewards.
• CoreScore™: Post-implementation assessments showed improvement but also highlighted staff who needed to step up,  and in some cases, move on.
• KPIs & Incentives: For the first time, contracts, clear targets, and incentive schemes tied to business growth were introduced. This replaced ad-hoc raises and created fairness.
• CorePurpose™ in Practice: “Bringing peace of mind” is now referenced in weekly leadership meetings, keeping purpose front and center.
• Creative Artifacts: A theme song and animated CoreChart added fun and visibility, making culture memorable and engaging.

As one team member shared:

“The energy Will brought was great. He kept us on track and reminded us: "we've got your back.” 

Results & Transformation

The cultural shift quickly translated into measurable outcomes:

• 25% revenue growth in the year values were launched.
• Behavioral changes: staff arriving on time, dressing smartly, and proactively stepping up.
• Structural clarity: KPIs and terms of reference now drive accountability, with incentives tied to measurable performance.
• Client impact: “We’ve got your back” became part of service delivery, strengthening relationships.

A standout story for the CEO was being introduced to a client who praised a staff member’s professionalism, without him even being involved. That, he said, was proof culture was alive.

What’s Next

Trans Africa isn’t stopping here. Culture is now seen as a strategic pillar for growth. The company plans to:

• Double the team size in the near future.
• Scale revenue 5× with culture as the driver.
• Embed GROW into hiring, onboarding, and reviews so every new hire is aligned from day one.
• Sustain momentum with weekly culture catch-ups and consistent use of tools.
• Ensure the “energy Will brought” continues long after workshops, so values are lived daily.

As the CEO put it:

“We must eat and breathe our values every day.”

Conclusion

Through its partnership with The Culture Fix®, Trans Africa has gone from “no culture” to a culture that drives growth, accountability, and pride. With authentic values created by the team, supported by tools like CoreChart™, Notice & Nominate™, and CoreScore™, the company has shifted from words on paper to a way of life.

Today, culture is no longer abstract. It is tangible, measurable, and profitable.

Trans Africa’s journey shows that even small teams, with the right tools and commitment, can achieve transformative results. Their culture has become not only a competitive advantage but also the foundation for future expansion.

All the tools and techniques mentioned here follow the process outlined in our best-selling book, The Culture Fix, available on Amazon.

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