Sebastian Jimenez Rilla, cofounder and CEO of Rilla, doesn’t just lead a startup, he leads a culture. In a recent interview, Jimenez made it clear that at Rilla, a software company specializing in transcription tools for sales and service teams, hustle culture in startups is not optional, it’s expected.
With a strong conviction that work-life balance gets in the way of productivity, Jimenez looks to his about 80 employees for a minimum commitment of 70-hour work week, all face-to-face. That kind of commitment isn’t for every company, but Jimenez maintains it’s at the core of the Rilla work culture.
Compensation and Perks with a Purpose
While demands at Rilla are certainly high, the firm attempts to offset the burden with an attractive package of benefits. Staff get basic benefits such as healthcare, but they also get goodies such as membership at fitness clubs, two covered meals daily, and free Uber rides for nighttime work. These advantages are not only perks, but also strategies to cut down on non-work time.
But one standout perk demonstrates how far Rilla will go to advance its live-to-work cred: a $1,500 monthly rent allowance for workers who reside five to ten minutes from the office. In a city like New York, where rentals tend to be eye-popping, the perk is both generous and calculated. It’s meant to draw employees further toward the office, literally and metaphorically. Rilla rent stipend New York
A Culture of Proximity and Productivity
To date, around a dozen Rilla workers have used the rent subsidy. Jimenez himself resides within walking distance and regards nearness as a prime tool for productivity. “If you’re 30 minutes away from the office, that’s an hour each day that you could be working,” he says. For him, it’s a no-brainer: cut down on commute time, add to work time. This ties directly into the in-office work trend seen in several tech startups following pandemic-era remote work culture shifts.
The office-first culture at Rilla is not only welcomed, it’s mandated. And the firm isn’t shy about it when recruiting. Candidates are informed of what will happen before they receive an offer, allowing the firm to identify applicants who are not merely qualified but also share its principles.
A Model That Works, for Them
Jimenez does admit that Rilla work culture won’t work for everybody. Indeed, he does not advise this model to every startup. “This is by no means the way to run every startup,” he states. “This is just the way it works for us.”
This touches on the ongoing work-life balance debate and raises questions like: does hustle culture work for startups?
Ultimately, Rilla has created a benefits system that mirrors its culture, one of hard work, long hours, and unapologetic in-person collaboration. Whether that model gains traction or stays niche-based depends on how the rest of the world reacts to the trade-offs Rilla makes without remorse. For some, it’s a beacon of ambition; for others, a warning sign of startup burnout and intense startup culture.
For those wondering what it’s like to work at Rilla, or how Rilla employees work 70 hours a week, the answer is simple: you either thrive in that environment or quickly burn out. Because in this version of the hustle culture in startups, there’s no middle ground.
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