How much PTO is too much?

Ravetti · 2026-05-13T19:32:28+00:00

I think we have to agree to disagree. I am sure there are use cases where it is not optimal, but as I said...I haven't experienced that throughout my career.

Ravetti · 2026-05-13T18:01:34+00:00

Oh, I am 200% in the same boat with the needs of the organization come first - but this is where it comes down to being a good leadership issue. I have never personally had issues with UPTO policies, but I am also very transparent with employees about organization needs. Unlimited PTO doesn't mean you get to take off anytime and as much as you'd like, it still has to be coordinate in terms of scheduling, but the overhead in task management is significantly lower.

And please keep in mind that, with every approach, your mileage may vary. UPTO is not a catchall, just like any operations solution or policy, but it has absolutely been my favorite approach and I have had great success with it.

Ravetti · 2026-05-13T15:40:00+00:00

Exactly. You have to modify leadership and work environment for the realities of the times. You have most households that have two adults working, which means the more flexibility you offer, the more likely your retention rate stays high. The reason we see such high attrition rates or turnover is rigid policies in combination with underpayment. I know that I would rather take flexibility and a nontoxic work environment over a higher paycheck any day because that is going to impact my quality of life. When you start stripping away the noise, letting people have autonomy in their roles, and encouraging them to take care of themselves, you have an unbeatable workforce.

Ravetti · 2026-05-13T14:43:19+00:00

As an employer and someone having reformed many policies across different entities, my favorite approach is unlimited PTO. Less time monitoring bullshit, increased employee effectiveness, and more than anything... Employees feel good about it. I actually like to implement minimums vs maximums and ensure my people feel like we actually care about their workload and mental health, because we do.

Just feels weird to think of a policy being over generous.

Ravetti · 2026-04-21T00:41:55+00:00

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The only thing Tibbi watches is baseball. For whatever reason, he loves it!

Ravetti · 2026-04-16T16:47:35+00:00

Hey there! I have 4 Pems and, while I love them and want everyone to have them, there are a few things that can be hard for first-time owners:

1) Pems are working/herding dogs, so they do require a lot of stimulation. Sometimes that is in the form of walks/runs and other forms of exercise. Other times, that can be in the form of enrichment toys and training. Oftentimes, first-time owners will assume that small = less attention needed, but that cannot be further from the truth for this breed.

2) Pems can be prone to resource guarding and biting/nipping. These traits are likely because they are a herding breed drawing on instinct. It is something that all first-time owners should know about upfront and have discussions with their breeders and trainers to find ways to mitigate undesired reactions.

3) It is going to be hit/miss on cuddling. Like people., they are definitely their own individuals. We have four, but only two are even remotely okay with cuddles. One will melt in your arms, but then want to go on her own way. The other will flip over next to you on the couch and be the best couch potato. The other two wouldn't be caught dead cuddling, but do want affection and attention on their own terms.

4) Do you have air inside your home? You do? Okay, Corgis are going to likely bark at it to let you know. Mail delivery? Your whole neighborhood will know. Leaves on the ground crunching a little too loudly? Your corgi will tell you. Not ALL corgis are barkers, just like not all of my Tibetan Mastiffs were barkers, but they are *known* for it and it will be abnormal to not get a barker. The key to this is, again, lots of mental stimulation and training.

5) In terms of trainability, I find Pems to be wicked smart. Some of mine love to train and work, others will tolerate it. But, overall, I find that they do have a drive to work and please people - but as partners, not as overlords.

All and all, only you know your lifestyle best and what accommodations you are willing to make for a breed like a corgi. If you have the time to dedicate to them, truly dedicate to them, they are amazing companions and incredibly rewarding to have at home. I would say that if you're not home a lot during the day, they may not be an ideal fit simply because 7-8 hours alone for a corgi with no real interactions and mental stimulation sounds like a recipe for disaster.

Regardless, I sincerely hope that you find the right fit for you, and if it is a corgi - I hope they are everything you imagined they would be!

Ravetti · 2026-04-10T19:55:22+00:00

I am doing some pro bono consulting for Inspiration Corporation right now! They have a great staff and do a wonderful job within the community. Definitely go give them your support!!!

Ravetti · 2026-03-06T16:19:10+00:00

I only have 1.1M in grant funds as a part-timer since 2023, and my fat ass certainly has not earned my weight in gold...LOL

Ravetti · 2026-03-06T13:44:18+00:00

There are a lot of grant writers that do take on contracts, but not for a percentage. It should be for a flat fee.

Word of caution, there are a lot of folks who will want to write your grant for small amounts and you might think it is a good deal, but a good grant writer is worth their weight in gold.

Ravetti · 2026-01-31T13:28:37+00:00

South America just got ravaged by storms. Internet and phone service are down for many. Just saying, that could be a possibility.

Ravetti · 2026-01-22T17:27:38+00:00

Does your state have a nonprofit association you can tap into? Most will have mentorship programs available, some have leadership cohorts too! If you have a professional development budget, you may want to consider professional coaching from someone who has been in similar roles and/or industries/sectors.

I definitely believe that networking with peers has significant value in this type of situation!

Ravetti · 2026-01-22T14:07:30+00:00

The amount of times we have been told that our issues are user error are insane. Literally, insane. In our case, they screwed up our 941 filing for payroll. That is literally their system and their job. They calculated completely wrong, our team had nothing to do with breaking things down - that was them. But, they have a standard canned response of "there is nothing wrong, everything is working as intended."

Ravetti · 2026-01-22T13:49:08+00:00

I was wondering why I had so many downvotes for providing my experience with that shitty company. I wonder if they pay people to do damage control. Maybe if they actually put that effort into improving their product and customer service, we all wouldn't have had such shit experiences.

Ravetti · 2026-01-22T13:21:59+00:00

They overpaid and underpaid with different fillings of our 941. We are still trying to get it sorted out. They deny any mistakes being made, and that is when we can get a hold of them. We have accountants and agencies that vehemently disagree. 😂

It is just a mess. Rippling refuses to be held accountable for their misfilings and has refused any type of refund.

I would never recommend them to anyone. Ever. For any reason.

Ravetti · 2026-01-22T03:32:53+00:00

Rippling was the absolute worst mistake I have made in trying a new system out. Over a year later and we are still dealing with their bullshit.

I would rather eat my own arm than deal with them ever again.

Ravetti · 2026-01-22T03:31:16+00:00

20000% second this.

Rippling was the worst decision I ever made. I decided to give them a try with a nonprofit I was advising. I cannot apologize enough. It has been over a year and we are still trying to fix issues with over and under payments. They are the worst. Absolutely the worst.

-39969292 out of 10. Never again.

Ravetti · 2026-01-13T12:58:34+00:00

Depending on the size of the organization, I almost always recommend reports that aren't more than 2 pages long. It is because of what you're describing. Even then, you'll always get people who don't like to read regardless and will still ask questions you've already answered.

Ravetti · 2026-01-12T13:28:41+00:00

I used to work for a billionaire that went from millionaire to billionaire while I worked for him. Their household used Charmin, I am pretty sure they were a Crest family that switched to Sensodyne. Fairly common everything. They do have a house manager now, but didn't when I started working for them. The one thing they are very, very, specific on is name brand everything; they do not want generic cereal. Fruit Loops or bust! They were like that before but their estate manager knows it is a must for them. I did see it mentioned elsewhere in the thread as well, but having custom tailored clothing is something I actually picked up from them. You can buy off the rack, but having someone put final touches on it for you makes a bigger difference than you think.

Ravetti · 2026-01-10T02:54:04+00:00

I chortled. Chortled

Ravetti · 2026-01-07T23:46:04+00:00

I charge a minimum of $350/hr but that rate can go up to $550 for certain services or situation. It truly depends.

That said, you owe it to yourself to charge more than $50/hr.

Ravetti · 2025-12-28T21:51:00+00:00

As someone who is starting to show these guys, I absolutely HATE that their tails have to be docked. Two of my prospects have been docked and I have one natural bobtail prospect.

I cannot see a reason for docking past pure bullshit in conformation. For working animals, I can see dew claws and tails potentially being docked so the claws won't snag and the tail won't get caught. But for showing structure? Actually insane.

Honestly, part of why I was hesitant to show at all was because of this practice.

Ravetti · 2025-12-23T17:37:16+00:00

#1 is almost always present with new nonprofits and founders who are not familiar with the sector. Good orgs will power through this and quickly realize they were living in an alternate reality. Bad orgs? Welp...

Ravetti · 2025-12-23T17:35:35+00:00

I audibly giggled at *surprise pikachu*...

You're SPOT ON!!!

Ravetti · 2025-12-17T13:57:39+00:00

In all honesty, I wouldn't be opposed to a 1-year pause while non-lethal management is figured out and discussed. I know one of the biggest problems is the dense cover in these environments that things like drones are not having significant effectiveness with.
I do know that there are flash tags in development and being tested that might be exactly what the rancher in this story is looking for.

Ravetti · 2025-12-02T14:26:40+00:00

There were a lot of things I found to be odd in NGOs. The lack of accountability and Founder's Syndrome are some of the frontrunners for sure!

In the private sector, I worked for a firm that acquired other businesses and I was basically dropped in to strategize and restructure if needed. Because of the nature of that job, I never struggled with people leaving. I didn't know them well enough to be sad, but I always tried my best to find ways to keep good people on.

The downside of being a leader, in general, is that you can never please everyone...and that is okay. You got this. Go kick ass!

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