Rachael Goodenough

Head of People & Culture at MakerX

Rachael Goodenough is the Head of People & Culture at MakerX, an ambitious R&D collective turning bold tech ideas into reality. With experience scaling remote-first teams and navigating the messy middle of startup life, Rachael brings a rare balance of strategic clarity and human warmth. She’s passionate about building cultures where trust, autonomy, and experimentation thrive—and where admitting 'this didn’t work' is a superpower.

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Why it’s ok to roll it back (and why that builds trust)

Startups love to launch things. But sometimes the bravest, most trust-building move is to roll something back. In this session, Rachael Goodenough shares three honest stories of culture initiatives that didn’t go as planned—and what happened when she decided to pivot or pause. You’ll learn why treating culture like a product (not a policy) leads to better outcomes, and how listening, adjusting, and stepping back can strengthen trust more than pushing forward ever could.