What it's all about
Why do we do anything? On its face, this question is simple and straightforward enough, but it can be hard to answer - in particular without platitudes, cliches, corporate sounding nonsense or other vagaries.
So before we started this whole thing, we sat down and tried to answer the questions: why should we do this, and why this over all else?
The answer, it turns out, is simple - although arriving at that answer is not. For those of you who want to cut to the chase, here it is – we’re doing this because it is the best and fullest expression of our desire for two things: competence and connecting others.
If you wanted the TL;DR version of this, you’re done. Feel free to check out the rest of our site (maybe some case studies) or drop us a line if you want to talk or have an event coming up. For those of you who want to pull on the competence, connection threads… read on.
Competence
The ability to do something successfully or efficiently.
In other words, being good at what you do. Maybe being better than good at what you do. But again, why? In our case, it’s because we give a f*ck. It’s also because, as David C. Baker says, “once you’ve tasted competence, you never want to go back to the alternative.” This really resonates with us, and not only is it part of the inspiration for Riviera, but it is also part of our operating ethos. We want (and on some level, have a pathological need) for competence. We really want (need) to nail the job. To a certain extent, this is more for our own fulfillment, rather than just something we do for the good of you, our clients. However, the good news is that the downstream effect means we are going to do everything in our power to make sure you have an exceptional experience working with us.
Connecting Others
Bringing people together across cultural and language barriers.
Language is powerful. Beyond just the words we use and the words we choose, their connotations, implications and cultural nuance shapes how we view the world, how we interact with others and how others view us. Our ability to express ourselves through language (or lack thereof) significantly impacts our ability to make meaningful connections. Anyone who’s been to a foreign country, or in a room full of people who are speaking another language, understands the whirl of sensation that occurs - there may be excitement and curiosity towards new and interesting things, fear and frustration towards the unknown, and the inability to express yourself to the extent you know you are capable of. At Riviera, all we do is facilitate understanding in the face of language barriers. With our help, you can overcome these barriers and communicate with confidence - thereby connect with others in a more complete way. While competence is mostly for our own satisfaction, this one is for you.
Packing it all up
Maybe you can tell we have a lot of passion for what we do and how we do it. That's why we're in businesses here. At the end of the day, what's it all about if not showing up to the best of your abilities and doing so in a way that improves the lives of those around you.
