FNDN Series

Welcome back to the FNDN Series, where we continue our deep dive into startup compensation with industry leaders from across the startup world. In our conversation with Andrew, an HR veteran with 30 years of experience including CHRO roles at S&P 500 companies, we explore how to maximize compensation impact when resources are constrained. Andrew shares his insights on the power of differentiation in compensation, the importance of realistic performance distributions, and why tough conversations about performance are essential for organizational health. We dive deep into how to move beyond the "everyone gets the same" mentality and create meaningful compensation strategies that actually drive performance and business outcomes.Chapters:00:00 Welcome and Introduction to FNDN Series02:41 The Challenge of Overcomplex Compensation Systems03:30 First Principles: What Are We Really Trying to Achieve?05:15 The Magic of Differentiation in Compensation07:45 Why Distribution Matters: The 20-70-10 Model08:08 Communication and Manager Capability in Compensation11:00 The Budget Reality: Funding Differentiation11:49 Compensation Philosophy as Attraction and Repulsion Tool14:53 Alternatives When Cash Budget Is Constrained16:16 Budget as Choice: Connecting Compensation to Company Goals18:15 Market Informed vs Market Led Approach19:45 Strategic Benefits and Workforce PlanningConnect with AndrewVisit: https://linkedin.com/in/bartlow/ The People Leader Accelerator helps HR professionals and their organizations to grow. They exist to support the success of Human Resources leaders.Resources Mentioned:Companies/Organizations Mentioned:General Electric - Referenced for their historical 20-70-10 performance distribution modelPepsi - Andrew's background experienceHR Transform Conference - Event where budget strategy insights were sharedPave - Mentioned for their performance reward data report showing market differentiation gapsConcepts Discussed:Performance differentiation and distribution curvesMerit budget strategic planningMarket informed vs market led compensation philosophyBenefits renewal strategic approachMore FNDN Episodes:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4GeBIeZOKrFxG1oiiPxmiMApple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fndn-series/id1794263484

Description:Welcome back to the FNDN Series, where we continue our deep dive into startup compensation with industry leaders from across the startup world. In our conversation with Andrew Bartlow, a seasoned HR professional with 30 years of experience and current PE operating partner, we demystify how private equity really works and explore the powerful but lesser-known world of profit interests. Andrew breaks down common PE misconceptions, explains how profit interests differ from traditional stock options and RSUs, and reveals why these flexible ownership structures can create significant value for employees at all levels. Keep watching to discover how PE firms are moving beyond the "cut costs and flip" stereotype to build genuine value through strategic growth and broad-based employee ownership.Chapters:00:44 Guest Introduction: Andrew Bartlow's 30-Year HR Journey03:41 Private Equity 101: How PE Actually Works05:58 Understanding PE Stakeholders and Their Incentives08:40 Debunking PE Myths: Growth Over Cost-Cutting11:31 The Reality of PE Value Creation12:25 Profit Interests Explained: The PE Ownership Model15:51 Comparing Profit Interests to Stock Options19:54 Flexible Program Design for Heads of People22:28 Broad-Based Employee Ownership and Communication23:16 Conclusion and Wrap-UpConnect with AndrewVisit: https://linkedin.com/in/bartlow/ The People Leader Accelerator helps HR professionals and their organizations to grow. They exist to support the success of Human Resources leaders.Resources Mentioned:Companies/Organizations Mentioned:Ownership Works - Nonprofit promoting broad-based employee ownership in PE, spun out from KKRKKR - Major private equity firm pioneering employee ownership initiativesPeople Tech Partners - Community where PE compensation discussions take placeCulture Amp, Pepsi, GE - Companies mentioned as part of Andrew's backgroundKey Concepts Discussed:409A Valuations - Startup valuation methodology for stock optionsLeverage in PE transactions - How debt financing amplifies returnsBroad-based employee ownership - Extending profit interests to all employeesMore FNDN Episodes:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4GeBIeZOKrFxG1oiiPxmiM Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fndn-series/id1794263484

Most startups treat their compensation philosophy like a finished product once it’s written. But what happens after the doc is done?In this episode of the FNDN Series, Matt McFarlane speaks with Vaso, Chief People Officer at Ravio, about the real work of operationalising comp philosophies — turning them into systems employees actually experience and understand. Drawing from her time scaling Deliveroo and TrueLayer, Vaso shares frameworks for handling exceptions, building manager muscle, correcting legacy inequities, and turning pay practices into culture drivers. If you're a Head of People, founder, or comp leader at a scaling startup, this is the practical guidance you’ve been waiting for.Links & Resources:→ Connect with Vaso: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vaso-parisinou-4368b515/→ Explore Ravio: https://ravio.com/→ Subscribe to FNDN Series for more: https://fndnseries.fndn.com.au/→ Grab Ravio’s latest report on how 140 global companies handle pay reviews: https://ravio.com/reports/pay-review-survey

Description:Welcome back to the FNDN Series, where we continue our deep dive into startup compensation with industry leaders from across the startup world. In third conversation with Aubrey Blanche-Serellano, Founder of The MathPath and former VP at Culture Amp, we tackle the uncomfortable truth that most companies either lack a compensation philosophy or have one that's completely ineffective. Aubrey breaks down why most comp philosophies fail, how to design one that actually attracts and retains your ideal candidates, and the critical role transparency plays in creating procedural fairness. We explore the balance between employee input and executive accountability, discuss when to implement your first philosophy, and Aubrey shares her provocative question that will help any exec team get serious about their compensation approach. Keep watching to discover how to build a compensation philosophy that doesn't suck and actually serves your business goals.Chapters:00:48 The Problem: Most Comp Philosophies Are Useless01:16 Guest Introduction: Aubrey Blanche-Serellano02:12 Why Compensation Philosophies Fail02:31 Know Your ICP: Attracting the Right Talent03:46 Building Your Talent Strategy Foundation04:40 The Power of Transparency in Compensation06:47 The Human Side of Pay Decisions08:05 Co-Design: Getting Employee Input Right10:07 When Not to Build by Committee10:25 Should You Always Have a Comp Philosophy?11:35 Getting Started: The Executive Question12:31 What Would Embarrass You About Your Comp?13:08 Reflection and Implementation13:26 Final Thoughts and Wrap-UpConnect with Aubrey:https://linkedin.com/in/aubreyblanche Visit: https://themathpath.com/  Resources Mentioned:Frameworks:Even Over Framework - Prioritization tool for compensation trade-offsCP (Ideal Customer Profile) - Applied to talent acquisition strategyCulture Amp - People and culture platform where Aubrey achieved smallest gender pay gap among peersThe MathPath - Aubrey's company focused on equitable people initiatives and responsible AIMore FNDN Episodes at ⁠Spotify⁠ | ⁠Apple Podcast

Will AI Fix Compensation — or Just Make It Worse, Faster? with Aubrey Blanche-Serellano, Founder at The MathPathDescription:Welcome back to the FNDN Series, where we continue our deep dive into startup compensation with industry leaders from across the startup world. In our conversation with Aubrey Blanche-Serellano, Founder of The MathPath and former VP at Culture Amp, we explore the transformative potential of AI in compensation—and its risks. We dive into how AI could revolutionize pay equity analysis, the dangers of embedding human bias into machine decisions, and what the future holds for compensation professionals. From automated pay audits to personalized benefit packages, discover how AI might reshape everything we know about fair pay. Keep watching to learn how to harness AI's power while avoiding its pitfalls in your compensation strategy.Chapters:00:00 Introduction to AI in Compensation01:16 Guest Introduction: Aubrey Blanche-Serellano 02:37 AI's Role in Compensation: Pattern Matching and Analytics 03:52 The Dark Side: AI as a Supercharged Terrible Recruiter 04:49 Human Bias Becomes Machine Bias 07:11 The Amazon Resume Parser Cautionary Tale 08:54 AI Hallucinations and Critical Thinking 09:35 How AI Changes the Role of People Leaders 11:39 AI Literacy vs. Calculator Panic 12:07 AI-Powered Candidate Experience 14:59 Personalized Compensation Packages 17:26 Ethical Questions in Customizable Pay 18:27 What Will AI Kill in Compensation? 20:10 The Future: Automation vs. Human ExpertiseConnect with AubreyVisit: https://themathpath.com/https://linkedin.com/in/aubreyblanche Resources MentionedCompanies/Tools Mentioned:Culture Amp - People and culture platform where Aubrey achieved remarkable pay equity resultsAmazon - Example of biased AI resume parsing systemTextio - Kieran Snyder's company focusing on inclusive languageThe MathPath - Aubrey's consultancy for equitable people practices and responsible AIConcepts Discussed:RAG Models (Retrieval-Augmented Generation)Responsible AI FrameworkPay Equity Analysis ToolsAI Hallucination in Large Language ModelsTI-83 Calculator Analogy for AI LiteracyMore FNDN Episodes:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4GeBIeZOKrFxG1oiiPxmiMApple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fndn-series/id1794263484

Description:Welcome back to the FNDN Series, where we continue our deep dive into startup compensation with industry leaders from across the startup world. In our conversation with Aubrey Blanche- Serellano, Founder of MathPath and former VP at Culture Amp, we unpack the critical misconceptions around the gender pay gap and explore what it actually measures versus what most people think it represents. We dive deep into Culture Amp's achievement of having the smallest gender pay gap among their peers and examine the practical strategies that drive real pay equity outcomes.Chapters:00:59 Guest Introduction: Aubrey Blanche02:47 What the Gender Pay Gap Actually Measures04:20 Common Misconceptions About Pay Gap vs Pay Equity05:51 Is Total Pay Equality Achievable?07:16 Culture Amp's Success Story: Smallest Gender Pay Gap08:17 The Power of Regular Pay Equity Audits10:07 Beyond Compensation: Professional Development Impact11:03 No Out-of-Cycle Adjustments Policy13:17 Values-Based Compensation Approach15:57 Training Recruiters on Compensation Philosophy17:16 Where to Start: The Importance of Auditing18:24 Conclusion and Wrap-UpConnect with Aubrey BlancheVisit: https://themathpath.com/ LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/aubreyblancheCompany Mentioned:Culture Amp - People and culture platform where Aubrey achieved remarkable pay equity resultsWGEA (Workplace Gender Equality Agency) - Australian agency defining pay gap benchmarksMore FNDN Episodes at ⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠Apple Podcast⁠

We explore how storytelling transforms compensation strategy in our third conversation with  Naomi Trickey, Chief People Officer at Mews. Discover why compensation isn't just spreadsheets and numbers—it's about creating a narrative that builds trust, drives engagement, and makes complex compensation frameworks resonate with employees. Learn how infusing empathy and strategic storytelling into your compensation approach can help navigate difficult conversations and create a more human-centered pay philosophy.Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction to FNDN Series 01:04 - Meet Naomi Trickey, CPO at Mews 01:48 - Why storytelling matters in compensation 04:47 - Implementing storytelling in compensation strategy 06:41 - Equipping leaders with storytelling tools for difficult conversations 09:13 - Recommended resources for mastering storytelling in business 11:24 - Episode wrap-up and closing thoughtsConnect with Naomi Trickey Visit https://mews.com/ Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/naomitrickey FNDN Episodes at Spotify | Apple Podcast

Description: Join Matt McFarlane in this  FNDN Series as he delves into the second conversation with Naomi Trickey, Chief People Officer at Mews. In this informative episode, they discuss the challenges of sustaining effective compensation practices during rapid growth phases, the importance of creating robust compensation frameworks, indicators of when compensation structures need reevaluation, and the strategic relationship between compensation transparency and employee trust. This episode provides valuable insights into maintaining employee retention and engagement through dynamic compensation strategies tailored for fast-growing tech startups.Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to Startup Compensation01:11 Meet Naomi Trickey: Chief People Officer at Mews01:48 Challenges in Fast-Growth Startups03:30 Building Consistent Compensation Structures09:30 The Importance of Transparency and Engagement18:52 Strategies for Scaling Compensation23:22 Conclusion and Future InsightsConnect with Naomi Trickey Visit https://mews.com/ Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/naomitrickey More FNDN Episodes at Spotify | Apple Podcast

Naomi Trickey, Chief People Officer at Mews and a board member at Griffin, dives deep into the importance of compensating culture builders in organizations. She discusses how Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) create long-term business value and the challenges of structuring fair compensation for them. Naomi shares insights on fostering safe emotional spaces in workplaces and emphasizes the critical role of leadership in nurturing effective ERGs. With her expertise, she provides strategic tips for aligning culture-building efforts with business goals.

Melissa Theiss, a four-time head of business and people operations and founder of Fledge, shares her expertise on budgeting for startup compensation cycles. She breaks down five essential compensation buckets every startup needs. The discussion emphasizes the importance of collaborating with finance teams to allocate budgets effectively. Melissa offers practical strategies to reward high performers, avoid common pitfalls, and foster goodwill with finance throughout the year. Tune in for insights that enhance your approach to compensation management!