On today’s Dear Heretics segment, Kelli and Nolan analyze why traditional bonus programs fail at early-stage companies, advocating for flexible sprint incentives and spot bonuses over rigid annual structures that create organizational debt.

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KEEP UP WITH NOLAN + KELLI ON LINKEDIN

Nolan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nolan-church/

Kelli: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellidragovich/

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For coaching and advising inquire at

https://kellidragovich.com/

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TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Introduction: The Bonus Program Question

(01:04) The Cyclical Wave & Sales Incentives

(01:42) Why Early-Stage Companies Struggle

(02:46) The Coin-Operating Problem

(03:26) The 96% Problem: Legacy & Recruiting Pressure

(04:34) You Can’t Put the Toothpaste Back

(05:30) Equity Over Bonuses

(06:09) Inconsistent Application Across Teams

(06:43) Walking It Back Is Brutal

(08:06) Sponsor: Metaview

(09:28) Technical Debt vs People Debt

(11:10) Second Order Consequences

(12:31) MBOs Are a Fable

(12:53) The Solution: Sprint Incentives

(14:04) Surprise and Delight: Spot Bonuses

(15:08) Discretionary Budgets & Agility

(15:54) Final Thoughts: Avoid People Debt

(15:59) Outro

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Rethink Your Bonus Program

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