Our Founder Featured in Brainz Magazine: Efficient Startup Growth - Trial Periods for Staff To Protect Equity and Finances
Our co-founder and CEO, Lauren Anders Brown, was featured in Brainz Magazine on a lean-startup strategy she's used to build PadsPass: trial periods for new team members before committing salaries or equity.
In the article, she explains:
Why conserving cash and equity matters — overspending or giving away equity too early limits flexibility, dilutes founders, and shortens a startup's runway.
Why trial periods work — they let you assess real-world fit and performance, reserve equity for proven high performers, minimize financial risk, and adapt as the startup's needs change.
How to structure one — set clear goals (she uses a Letter of Intent), agree on a time frame (PadsPass uses 6 months), offer fair compensation (often in-kind), and hold regular check-ins.
A real-world example: Airbnb leaned on contractors and temporary hires early on to stay agile before building out a full team.
Her takeaway: it can feel awkward asking people to start on a trial, but it's a smart, low-risk way to protect runway and equity while making sure the right people are on board.
Read the full article on Brainz Magazine: Efficient Startup Growth – Trial Periods For Staff To Protect Equity And Finances