Empowering Global Teams with Upstock's RSUs: Case Studies‍

Empowering Global Teams with Upstock's RSUs: Case Studies‍

June 19, 2023

Empowering Global Teams with Upstock's RSUs: Case Studies‍

In the world of business, nothing speaks louder than success stories. When we hear about companies thriving, especially those similar to ours, we instinctively want to know their secret. This phenomenon, known as social proof, is a powerful psychological trigger. It's the reason why testimonials and case studies are so compelling. When it comes to equity compensation management services, the proof is in the pudding—or in this case, the success stories of companies that have harnessed the power of such services to drive growth, motivation, and retention.

Now, imagine a platform that not only offers cutting-edge equity compensation solutions but also boasts a roster of clients with success stories that are nothing short of inspiring. Welcome to the world of Upstock's RSUs. In this article, we'll explore how Upstock's RSU plans are not just changing the game but setting a whole new standard in the equity landscape, empowering global teams like never before.

Why RSUs as Equity Compensation?

In the globalized business environment, companies are no longer confined to local talent pools. They have the world at their fingertips, with the ability to onboard talent from any corner of the globe. This international reach brings forth unique challenges, especially when it comes to compensation. How do you create a compensation package that's not only competitive but also universally appealing? Enter Restricted Stock Units (RSUs).

RSUs represent a commitment from the company to grant shares to an employee at a future date, making them a straightforward and universally understood form of compensation. Here's why RSUs are particularly suited for empowering global teams:

1. Universality

Unlike other forms of equity compensation that might be tied to specific tax codes or financial regulations of a particular country, RSUs are straightforward and can be easily understood across different cultures and financial systems.

2. No Upfront Cost

For a global team member who might not have the means or the desire to invest upfront in a company based in another country, RSUs are attractive. Employees don't have to pay anything upfront, eliminating financial barriers to entry.

3. Tax Efficiency

Different countries have varied tax implications for equity. With RSUs, tax consequences can be deferred until the shares are delivered, allowing employees across the globe to manage their tax liability in a manner best suited to their local regulations.

4. Liquidity Assurance

Global employees might be wary of equity that they can't easily liquidate. Since RSUs, especially those with double-trigger vesting, are often tied to significant company events where liquidity is ensured, international team members can be confident in their ability to realize the value of their equity.

5. Alignment and Unity

RSUs provide a sense of ownership and alignment. For a global team, spread across different time zones and cultures, this sense of shared ownership can be a unifying force, driving collaboration and a shared vision.

How Upstock Improves Business Bottom Lines through RSUs Plans

In the modern business landscape, equity compensation is more than just a perk—it's a strategic tool for growth, motivation, and retention. But managing equity can be complex, especially for companies with a global footprint. Upstock simplifies this complexity, offering a revolutionary approach to equity compensation that directly impacts the bottom line. Here's how:

✔ Universal Equity

Upstock's Universal Equity system is fractionalized, liquid, and crypto-friendly. This means that it's not only accessible but also adaptable to the diverse financial landscapes of over 70 countries. By making equity universally accessible, Upstock ensures that businesses can attract and retain top talent from anywhere in the world.

✔ Visual Representation

Equity can be an abstract concept for many. Upstock demystifies it by providing a real-time visual representation of each team member's equity. This visualization fosters a sense of personal investment and excitement, driving motivation and long-term engagement.

✔ Streamlined Onboarding

Upstock has made the onboarding process seamless. From signing legal agreements to activating RSU plans, businesses can get started quickly, ensuring that their equity plans are up and running in no time.

✔ Global Reach with Localized Support

Upstock supports equity plans in 75+ countries. This global reach ensures that companies can offer top-tier equity plans tailored to local regulations and financial systems, making it easier to manage and distribute equity to a diverse workforce.

✔ Empowering Workers with an Ownership Mindset

Upstock's equity system fosters an ownership mindset among workers. When team members see their equity grow in real time, they are more likely to think and act like owners, driving innovation and contributing to the company's success.

✔ Effective Communication

Upstock believes that people only value what they understand. With its intuitive dashboards and informational materials, the platform ensures that every team member, regardless of their financial literacy, understands their equity stake and its value.

✔ Tax Efficiency and Flexibility

With features like double-trigger RSUs, Upstock offers flexibility in equity distribution, ensuring that tax implications are managed efficiently. This not only benefits the employees but also helps companies in managing their financial liabilities.

In essence, Upstock isn't just an equity management platform—it's a business growth tool. By simplifying equity distribution, making it universally accessible, and fostering an ownership mindset, Upstock directly contributes to improved business outcomes, driving growth and profitability.

Case Studies of Companies Using Upstock RSU Platform

For social proof, let's look at some real-world examples of companies that have benefited from Upstock's RSU platform:

1. Main Event Digital

Main Event Digital is a leading full-service digital marketing agency catering to B2B distributors, manufacturers, and service-based businesses. With over 25 years in the industry, they specialize in e-commerce & web design, and lead generation, and offer tailored solutions across a diverse range of sectors including electrical supply, industrial & construction supply, and more.

Mike Mayer, the CEO of Main Event Digital, has expressed how Upstock's RSU plans have been a game-changer for their equity management. The platform has simplified the equity distribution process, instilling a deeper sense of ownership and motivation among the team. This enhanced team alignment and commitment have been pivotal in driving the company's growth in the competitive digital marketing landscape.

"It has made my company employee-owned and has incentivized my team to stay engaged and motivated. The software is easy to use and the customer service is top-notch. I highly recommend this software to anyone looking to motivate and reward their team!"
Mike Mayer
CEO of Main Event Digital

2. Aware Healthcare

Aware Healthcare is at the forefront of revolutionizing mental health care. Their unique approach is driven by data, ensuring that patients receive truly personalized care. As the first network of therapists who utilize treatment methodologies grounded in science and patient-shared data, Aware Healthcare is making strides in delivering quality mental health care that is both accessible and effective. Their system is designed to quantify therapy, prioritize real affordability and therapist availability, and provide personalized care.

The CEO of Aware Healthcare, AJ Goldstein, has lauded Upstock for introducing a novel way to motivate and align employees. By leveraging Upstock's RSU plans, Aware Healthcare has been able to foster a sense of shared ownership and alignment among its team. This has been instrumental in driving the company's mission to reinvent therapy and ensure that patients receive the best possible care.

"Upstock is pioneering a new way to motivate employees with aligned incentives. There's nothing else like it out there on the market."
AJ Goldstein
CEO of Aware Healthcare

3. Sholder

Sholder stands as a beacon of support for individuals seeking to tap into their inner wisdom, power, and peace. As the first network of therapists employing data-driven treatment methodologies, Sholder is redefining the landscape of mental health care. Their unique approach ensures that therapy is not just qualitative but also quantifiable, with week-by-week progress assessments. Sholder offers personalized care, confidential support, and expert training. Their approach focuses on empowerment and confidential navigation of life events without judgment or diagnosis.

Sholder's CEO, Rett Kearbey, has shared how Upstock's RSU plans have significantly reduced their equity management costs, allowing them to invest more in their mission. By adopting Upstock, Sholder has been able to foster a sense of shared ownership among its team, ensuring that they remain aligned with the company's vision of reimagining therapy and emotional support.

“We’ve spent one-third of what it might have cost to get where we are, and best of all, our team has developed a strong passion for collective ownership. This has been a big part of our team culture.”
Rett Kearbey
CEO of Sholder

3. ShakaCode

ShakaCode is a trailblazer in the realm of software development, specializing in creating high-performance mobile and web applications. Their expertise is grounded in a combination of cutting-edge technologies including Ruby on Rails, Rust, React, and ReScript. With a commitment to agile, technology-driven transformation, ShakaCode offers elegant software development, React-on-Rails Pro, and web scraping and data analysis.

Justin Gordon, the CEO of both ShakaCode.com and HiChee.com, has shared the significant financial benefits of partnering with Upstock. By leveraging Upstock's RSU plans, ShakaCode was able to save a substantial $1.5 million in cash, which they would have otherwise spent on compensating workers. This financial efficiency, coupled with the sense of shared ownership fostered among the team, has been pivotal in driving ShakaCode's success in the competitive software development industry.

"I saved $1.5 million cash by paying workers with Upstock equity."
Justin Gordon
CEO of ShakaCode.com & HiChee.com

4. SKUE

SKUE stands as a unique wholesale marketplace, acting as the nexus between independent designers and retailers. Their platform is designed to assist makers in becoming retail-ready, offering them a platform to showcase their products and connect with potential buyers.

SKUE boasts a growing list of over 50 buyers from top boutiques and museum stores, providing invaluable insights on packaging, pricing, and store fit. This feedback mechanism is beneficial for both the makers and the retailers. The platform also offers a multi-vendor wholesale system, streamlining the buying process. With built-in minimum order requirements and messaging, SKUE ensures efficient communication between makers and buyers, fostering lasting business relationships.

Vinit Patel, the CEO of SKUE, has highlighted the positive impact of Upstock's RSU plans on team cohesion. By integrating Upstock, SKUE has been able to foster a sense of shared ownership among its team members. This shared vision and commitment have been instrumental in driving SKUE's mission of connecting makers with retailers, ensuring that unique, quality products find their way to the right stores and consumers.

“Upstock makes my workers feel like part of a team.”
Vinit Patel
CEO of SKUE

5. Tuvens

Tuvens.com is a dynamic web and mobile application designed to cater to the burgeoning sharing economy centered around interest-based communities. Whether it's salsa enthusiasts, surfing aficionados, startup innovators, or digital nomads, Tuvens provides a platform where these communities can thrive. 

The CEO of Tuvens has highlighted the transformative impact of Upstock's RSU plans on their business model. By leveraging Upstock, Tuvens has been able to foster a sense of shared ownership among its team members, ensuring alignment with the company's mission of nurturing interest-based communities. This shared vision has been instrumental in driving Tuvens' success in the competitive digital landscape, enabling them to effectively serve and expand their unique niche in the sharing economy.

“Without this great product, there’s no way I could’ve grown our team to 25 contributors with top talent from Amazon, Sutter Health, Inspire Health, and IBM Watson. I couldn’t do business without Upstock equity-as-a-service.”
Rett Kearbey
CEO of Tuvens

These, among dozens of startups and scaling businesses that trust Upstock, are reaping the benefits of RSU plans from the platform to empower their global teams.

Join the Revolution

In the ever-evolving world of business, the tools and strategies that drive success are constantly changing. Yet, amidst this flux, the importance of team alignment, motivation, and shared vision remains paramount. Equity compensation, particularly in the form of RSUs, has emerged as a potent tool to foster this alignment, and platforms like Upstock are at the forefront of this revolution.

As we've seen through the diverse experiences of companies like Main Event Digital, Aware Healthcare, Sholder, ShakaCode.com, and SKUE, Upstock's RSU plans are more than just a financial instrument. They are a catalyst for growth, innovation, and team cohesion. These companies, spanning various industries and geographies, have harnessed the power of equity to drive their missions forward, achieve remarkable success, and set new standards in their respective fields.

For startups and established businesses alike, the message is clear: equity is not just a perk—it's a strategic imperative. And with platforms like Upstock simplifying and democratizing access to equity compensation, the future looks bright for companies ready to embrace this transformative approach.

Convinced now? Seal the deal and book a demo with Upstock today to see the difference.

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