What Founders Get Wrong About People, Pay & Leadership

What happens when a startup grows faster than its people, processes, and leadership can keep up?

In this episode of Let's Table That, hosts Jazmine Parris and Glaze Martillano sit down with Susy Martins, Founder and CEO of AdviseToRise and former Chief People Officer at ApplyBoard and Clearco, to unpack the messy reality of hypergrowth.

Drawing on her experience scaling teams from 600 to 1,400 employees, Susy shares why founders struggle to let go, how compensation decisions can create tension between early employees and new hires, and why being a top performer doesn't automatically make someone a great manager.

They also explore the hidden challenges of remote leadership, the importance of onboarding, and why hiring more executives isn't always the answer after a major funding round.

Plus, in a double round of Under the Table, Susy shares her candid takes on unlimited PTO and the employee development promises companies rarely deliver on.

In this episode, we cover:
- Why founders often underestimate their influence on employees
- The first HR processes that break during hypergrowth
- Why cash compensation can matter more than startup equity
- The one quality every great people manager needs
- How fractional leadership can help startups scale smarter
- Why unlimited PTO might not be the perk employees think it is
- How to make employee development more than an empty promise
Whether you're a founder, HR leader, or manager navigating rapid growth, this conversation offers practical advice on building a company without losing the people who helped you get there.

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