Remote Culture, Organizational Structure & Difficult Personnel Decisions – Vanessa Stock, pitch.com

About this episode

Vanessa Stock built pitch.com from scratch alongside seven other co-founders. As Chief People Officer at the presentation startup, she has experienced firsthand the challenges that arise when building an organization – and how to master them.

Understanding the Chief People Officer Role

One of the central questions for founders is when and why a Chief People Officer position should be created. Vanessa Stock explains that this role goes far beyond traditional HR. It's about organizational development, culture design, and strategic personnel decisions – areas that are crucial especially during the early growth phase.

Remote Work as a Success Factor

Remote work functions exceptionally well at pitch.com. The company had already established a hybrid work culture before the pandemic, which proved to be an enormous advantage during the Corona period. The experience shows: Remote work can be successful when the right structures and communication channels are considered from the beginning.

Eight Co-founders – A Special Challenge

Starting with eight co-founders is unusual. This constellation brings both advantages and special challenges. Role distribution had to be clearly defined, and decisions needed to be made about which additional positions to fill. This demonstrates the importance of a structured approach to organizational development.

Structures That Must Be Right From the Start

There are certain organizational structures that founders should definitely set up correctly from the beginning, as later corrections become difficult and costly. These include:

• –Clear decision-making processes and responsibilities
• –Transparent communication structures
• –Defined roles and expectations
• –Basic HR processes

The Importance of Titles in Startups

Titles play an important role even in modern startups – not just externally, but also for internal structure and motivation. They create clarity about responsibilities and can help with talent acquisition.

Mastering Difficult Personnel Decisions

One of the most challenging tasks for any Chief People Officer is making significant personnel decisions. Stock explains why the "salami tactic" – repeated small rounds of layoffs – is problematic and how larger cuts can be implemented more humanely and strategically.

Key considerations:

• –Transparent communication about the reasons
• –Fair and respectful implementation
• –Focus on the remaining team and building trust

Building Trust After Difficult Decisions

After personnel cuts, the question arises: How do you regain the trust of the remaining team? Stock emphasizes the importance of open communication, transparency about future strategy, and proving that the decisions made stabilize the company.

Tips for Founders

Vanessa Stock's most important recommendations for other founders:

• –Invest early in organizational structures
• –Seek advice from experienced people
• –Don't hesitate to seek professional help with personnel matters
• –Consider remote work from the beginning
• –Communicate transparently, even in difficult times

The experiences at pitch.com show: With the right approach, even complex organizational challenges can be mastered. The key is to set the right course early and not hesitate to seek professional support when needed.