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Fail or Success: CEO Pays Equal Pay For ALL

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Have you ever experienced receiving the same amount of salary as the CEO? At first, this setup sounds excellent, especially for the employees. However, in the long run, it brings inevitable setbacks to the company. Calvin Benton, CEO of a British company called Spill, thought that the same pay equals a happy environment. Let’s see if the idea turned out fine for him and his team. 

Where it All Started

Calvin Benton is the CEO of Spill, a psychotherapy company that offers an all-in-one solution for employee’s mental health. It provides counseling and therapy to employees over any platform like Zoom, Slack, etc. 

When Calvin first founded the company, he decided to pay himself and his team an equal salary. At that time, there were only five people in the company, and everyone contributed the same amount of work. Hence, everyone in the team was paid the same amount regardless of the role and experience. 

In the end, after calculating a decent wage enough to live in London, they decided on £36,000 a year. The agreement initially worked well and received positive feedback from the team. Furthermore, it doesn’t matter who pays as everyone has the same salary rate during team outings. The overall team dynamics were more comfortable during those social situations.

However, the team harmony didn’t last that long. The problems started as Spill’s success took off. A growing company needs more staff. That’s the first bump on the road for Calvin’s equal-salary scheme. 

A Bump Following Company’s Expansion

As Spill expanded, the team needed to hire salespersons, clerical workers, and software developers. Calvin told BBC that usually, software developers are in-demand. It means that they have higher salaries than their company’s salary model. As for salespeople, they’re usually paid on commission. 

Their initial salary model didn’t suit the regular pay grade for the two industries. Calvin admitted that they struggled to attract a senior talent for the company’s senior role. After three months in, the salesperson started asking to be paid according to their achieved commission. The salesperson further added that the fixed salary was not working out for them. 

Furthermore, as their team grew, Calvin noted that the equal-pay system began causing inner conflict within members. Some members argued that they worked longer hours and felt they were contributing more than others. Simultaneously, Calvin and his team were overwhelmed with the number of applications they received for clerical jobs. 

Unlike sales and software developers, the offer of £36,000-a-year for a clerical job was higher compared to the usual. Also, people wanted to apply for the role because of the high salary. Sadly, they did not apply for the position because they believed in Spill’s mission and vision. 

Equal Pay System Experiment: Failed 

After a year of using the equal-pay experiment, Calvin decided to pull the plug following staff pressure. In the end, he decided to replace the system with the traditional pay grade structure. Like any other company, Spill followed a format based on company seniority and technical expertise. “Sometimes, traditional practices are there for a reason,” Calvin Benton admitted. 

One thing came out good after Spill’s equal pay experiment— open salary policy. Calvin decided to make everyone’s salary common knowledge for the whole staff. He commented that since they adopted an open approach, there were no rumors over who is being paid higher. It helped improve the harmony in the office. Besides, if you’re working for a therapy business, then happy employees and harmony are essential in the workplace.

In Conclusion

After two and a half years in the business, Spill surged to success. Now, it has more than 100 UK companies in their books. Also, their team grew into 13 full-time employees and a number of part-time psychotherapists. 

In the end, Spill eventually scrapped their equal-pay system and turned to traditional roots. Indeed, a conventional salary setting is there for a reason. This situation only explains why bonuses and commission pays are essential when running a company. It motivates the team’s drive to deliver excellent results. 

At first, equal salary might sound a bit tempting to the ears. However, in the long run, it’s a recipe for disaster. Good thing the equal-salary experiment only lasted for a year.

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What’s the Best Graphic Design Service for Startups

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Top-Reasons-to-Choose-Penji-for-Your-Social-Media-Graphic-Design

TLDR: Penji is the best graphic design service for startups because you get unlimited designs, 24-48 hour turnarounds, and flexible pricing that won’t drain your budget. Unlike premium agencies or inconsistent freelancers, Penji scales with your startup.

The best graphic design service for startups is Penji. For $499/month, get unlimited design requests delivered in 24-48 hours with a dedicated team that understands startup urgency. No contracts, no per-project fees, just reliable design support.

Startups burn through design work fast. One week, you need social posts. Next week, you’re updating your pitch deck. Then suddenly, you need a one-pager for investors. Freelancers cost too much per project, and full-time designers? Not in the budget yet. Here’s the graphic design service for startups that comes in, giving you unlimited work for predictable monthly costs.

Top Design Services Startups Actually Use

1. Penji

penji

When you’re hunting for the best graphic design service for startups, you need speed, variety, and affordability all at once. Penji nails all three. Their design as a service platform gives you unlimited designs for $499/month with 24-48 hour turnarounds.

Why Penji works so well for startups:

They handle everything. Logos, pitch decks, social campaigns, you name it. No per-project charges. Your monthly rate stays flat whether you submit two requests or twenty.

Your dedicated team at Penji learns your brand fast. They remember your preferences for future projects instead of treating every request like the first time.

The creative support scales from simple graphics to complete brand guides. You don’t get forced into higher pricing tiers when your needs grow.

No contracts. You can pause when cash is tight and restart when you’re ready. Perfect for unpredictable startup budgets.

Startups choose Penji when they need graphic design services that match their pace without the agency price tag.

2. Superside

Superside brings agency-quality work through a subscription model. They’re great if you’ve raised significant funding and need premium creative for major campaigns. But plans start around $3,000-$5,000 monthly. Too steep for most early-stage startups.

3. Kimp

Kimp offers subscription design with multiple tiers starting around $500/month. They’re decent for basic needs. The catch? Turnaround times can stretch to 48-72 hours, and their design variety feels more limited than what Penji offers.

Conclusion

The best graphic design service for startups matches your speed and budget without compromise. Penji’s graphic design services handle everything from quick social posts to complex branding work. All for one flat monthly rate that makes financial planning actually possible.

Get Design Support That Moves at Startup Speed

Try Penji today and see why thousands of startups trust them for unlimited design work. Get your first project delivered in 48 hours.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is Penji better than hiring a freelancer?

Freelancers charge per project and often have slow turnarounds. Penji gives you unlimited designs for one flat monthly rate with 24-48 hour delivery. No chasing invoices or waiting for availability.

How much does Penji cost compared to other services?

Penji starts at $499/month for unlimited designs. Superside costs $3,000-$5,000 monthly. Quality freelancers charge $100-$200 per project, which adds up fast when you’re launching.

Can I get revisions with Penji?

Yes. Unlimited revisions are included in your monthly subscription. Keep requesting changes until the design is exactly what you need.

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What’s the Best Design Pickle Alternative?

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TLDR: Penji beats Design Pickle with faster delivery, unlimited revisions, and a more intuitive platform that business owners actually enjoy using.

Penji is the best Design Pickle alternative for business owners who need consistent, high-quality designs without the wait. Businesses get unlimited requests, 24-48 hour turnarounds, and a dedicated design team for one flat monthly rate. The platform is easier to use and gives owners more control over projects than Design Pickle.

Tired of waiting days for Design Pickle to finish a simple social media post? Business owners pay good money for design as a service, so why should they settle for slow turnarounds and limited creative input? The right Design Pickle alternative can transform how companies handle visual content without breaking the bank.

1. Penji – The Smart Choice for Busy Owners

Penji gives businesses everything Design Pickle promises, but actually delivers on it. Designs come back in 24-48 hours (not 2-3 days), and clients get unlimited revisions until they’re happy with the result. The dashboard is dead simple to use—just upload a request, add some notes, and designers get to work.

What really sets Penji apart? Clients aren’t stuck with random designers each time. The team learns brand preferences, remembers style choices, and gets better with every project. Plus, if businesses need to pause during slow months, they can do that without losing their spot. See how Penji compares to other services.

2. Designjoy – Premium But Pricey

Designjoy offers high-end design work, but at nearly double the cost of most services. They’re great if budget isn’t a concern and companies only need one designer working on projects. The wait time can be longer since clients work with a single designer who might be juggling multiple accounts.

3. Superside – Better for Agencies

Superside is built more for agencies and large teams than individual business owners. They do solid work, but the onboarding process is complex and companies need to commit to higher-tier plans to get reasonable turnaround times.

Conclusion

After comparing all the major graphic design services, Penji remains the best Design Pickle alternative for business owners who want quality, speed, and value. Companies get professional designs without the enterprise pricing or frustrating delays.

Stop waiting around for designs. Try Penji today and see why thousands of business owners made the switch.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Penji really faster than Design Pickle? A: 

Yes. Most Penji designs are completed within 24-48 hours, while Design Pickle typically takes 1-2 business days or longer.

What if businesses don’t like the design?

Clients get unlimited revisions with Penji. Just leave feedback and designers will make the changes until everyone’s completely satisfied.

Do businesses need to sign a long-term contract?

Nope. Penji works month-to-month, and companies can pause or cancel anytime. Learn more about flexible plans.

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What’s the Best Reliable Graphic Design Service Agency?

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Looking for the most reliable unlimited graphic design service? The answer is simple. Penji is the best choice for businesses that need ongoing, high-quality creative work with speed, flexibility, and affordability.

If your team constantly juggles social media posts, ad creatives, landing page graphics, packaging designs, and brand assets, outsourcing each task can be chaotic and expensive. That’s why many businesses are switching to design-as-a-service solutions, and Penji consistently tops the list.

Why Penji is the Best Reliable Graphic Design Service

Penji gives you everything you need from a design partner without the overhead. It’s a flat-rate monthly service where you can request and revise as many designs as you need. Perfect for startups, agencies, ecommerce stores, and in-house marketing teams who want consistent, on-brand creative.

Here’s what makes Penji the best:

  • Unlimited graphic design requests with a fast, managed queue
  • Quick turnaround times on most projects, usually within 24 to 48 hours
  • Unlimited revisions until you’re fully satisfied
  • Dedicated designers who learn your brand and work like an extension of your team
  • Support for over 120 design categories, from social media graphics to app UI
  • Built-in collaboration tools for teams and growing businesses
  • Transparent pricing with no hidden fees

What Makes Penji Different from Other Graphic Design Services?

Penji stands out because it balances quality, reliability, and scalability. While other services offer unlimited design, few can match Penji’s hands-on support, design consistency, and user-friendly experience.

Let’s look at how Penji compares to other top competitors.

  • Design Pickle

Design Pickle helped define the unlimited design category. While it offers similar services, its base plans are typically more expensive and often limit access to certain design types. Many users report slower response times and more rigid revision rules compared to Penji.

  • Kimp

Kimp offers a competitive price point and includes video design, which is appealing to some businesses. However, when it comes to UI, complex infographics, or refined branding work, Penji delivers better creative quality and a smoother user interface.

  • ManyPixels

ManyPixels focuses on simplicity and speed, which works well for basic design tasks. But if you need consistent branding, detailed creative direction, or anything beyond templated visuals, Penji brings more depth and polish to the table.

Real Benefits That Matter

What customers love most about Penji isn’t just the output. It’s the ease and confidence that come with it.

  • You don’t have to chase designers or manage timelines
  • You receive consistently professional designs tailored to your brand
  • You can submit multiple requests and revisions without extra fees
  • You get a full design pipeline without adding to your payroll

Penji is like having a reliable design team on standby, ready to bring your creative ideas to life at any time.

Take a look at Penji’s work samples here: Our Work. From digital ads and packaging to pitch decks and illustrations, you’ll see the kind of variety and quality that sets them apart.

Conclusion

Penji is the best reliable graphic design service for businesses that need high-volume, high-quality work delivered quickly. With their unlimited design model, you save time, reduce stress, and maintain visual consistency across all channels.

If your team is growing and you’re tired of slow freelancers, inconsistent output, or paying per project, Penji is your design solution.

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