Matt McFarlane helps Heads of People at scaling tech startups create compensation strategies that are fair, scalable, and aligned with business goals. He’s not just a comp specialist—he’s a career People Ops leader who’s lived the chaos of startup scale firsthand. At Oyster, he led compensation strategy as the company grew from 200 to 650+ employees, reduced salary costs by 23%, and helped drive 390% revenue growth. He’s crafted frameworks that balance employee experience with commercial outcomes, from salary bands and pay equity reviews to transparency rollouts and career paths. Matt now works with startups to build pay strategies that grow with their business—and give People leaders back the clarity, consistency, and confidence they need.
A well-crafted compensation philosophy isn’t just a “nice to have”—it’s a critical tool for attracting, retaining, and aligning talent in a fast-moving startup. But most early-stage businesses either skip it or overcomplicate it. In this candid, hands-on session, Matt McFarlane shares a practical framework for defining your unique approach to pay—rooted in your business model, cultural values, and resourcing realities. You’ll walk away with a toolkit to help you make principled trade-offs, communicate your position with confidence, and avoid common pitfalls that erode trust. No fluff, no corporate jargon—just tested strategies and templates you can take straight to your exec team tomorrow.
With five tracks running across the first‑ever Startup People Summit, even the most committed note‑takers couldn’t catch it all live.
Now, you don’t have to miss a thing.
The SPS 2025 On‑Demand channel is ready. Packed with 40+ session recordings from every track, game‑changing ideas from all our speakers, and 12 months to watch, rewatch, and take notes at your own pace.
But SPS was never just an event. With the All Access Bundle, you’ll get everything in On‑Demand, plus join our new private SPS Community—a year‑round space where startup People professionals share challenges and wins in real time, swap fresh ideas and frameworks, collaborate on solutions, and know they’re not doing this work alone. Because the real value of SPS isn’t just in what we heard, it’s in what we can build together next.
Just a reminder: If you’re a Unicorn Pass holder, you already have On‑Demand and SPS Community access included. No need to purchase an add‑on — you’re already all set!
Get access to every single session recording from the summit—all five tracks, all speakers, all the insights. Learn on your schedule and replay your favourites any time over (and over again).
40+ session recordings from every track
12 months to watch, rewatch, and take notes at your own pace
The ultimate post-event pass. Unlock all session recordings and join our exclusive SPS Community. One year of growth, connection, and inspiration—on your terms.
40+ session recordings from every track
12 months to watch, rewatch, and take notes at your own pace
Private SPS Community for year‑round connection and support
Peer‑led advice and collaboration on real challenges
Ongoing ideas, resources, and opportunities to level‑up all year
Startup People Summit 2025 was made possible with the support of our major sponsors
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