As we look ahead to the rest of 2025, we’re sharing a curated list of high-impact resources to help you stay on top of the trends shaping our work. Whether you’re exploring AI, refining comp strategy, or designing more people-centered systems, there’s something here to dig into.
Here are some guiding resources for you!
📌 2025 Venture Capital Benchmark Report (Produced by Affinity)
The 2025 Venture Capital Benchmark Report analyzes dealmaking activity across nearly 3,000 global VC firms, highlighting how top firms are adapting to a competitive market through selectivity, network engagement, and portfolio support. It offers data-driven insights to help firms refine sourcing strategies, strengthen relationships, and stay ahead in a tightening landscape.
📌 Sequoia's 2025 Merit Cycle Trends – (Produced by Dylan Hughes at Sequoia)
Sequoia’s 2025 Compensation and Equity Report highlights how merit cycles are evolving into a key retention strategy—especially amid fierce competition for AI talent. Companies are prioritizing salary increases for existing staff, with AI firms leading the way in compensation growth. Off-cycle merit increases are also becoming more common, particularly among smaller companies focused on retention. Read more in the article above!
📌 HR to Employee Ratio: Benchmarking Guide [2025] – (Produced by CompanySights)
As workforce complexity grows, the HR to employee ratio has become a key metric for right-sizing HR teams. This 2025 guide explains how organizations can calculate their current ratio, benchmark against industry norms, and adjust staffing to improve support, efficiency, and alignment with business goals. This guide attempts to answer a common question discussed in our Slack Workspace - “how large should my team be?”
Read the full article above to dive deeper.
And people . . .
We’re always looking to spotlight folks in our community who bring energy, depth, and authenticity into their work and relationships. Here are two people who absolutely deserve a spot on your radar:
🤝🏻 Margaret (Maggie) Ruvoldt - As CHRO at LEARN Behavioral, Maggie brings a thoughtful and people-first approach to everything she does. Since joining StartupExperts in 2023, she’s been a consistent, generous voice in the community. She lives outside Washington, DC and each time I see her, I love our discussions. Her focus on inclusion, AI, and leading with empathy makes her a standout in the HR space. If you didn’t see it, she recently also was featured in SHRM Magazine. #SuE-Star!
🤝🏻 Gwenevere Crary - Gwenevere is the Global People Ops Leader at LILT but also the Founder & CEO of Guide to HR, where she partners with startups and nonprofits to provide flexible, no-fluff People support. Based in Salt Lake City, she also hosts a podcast, sharing real-world advice for modern People leaders. Tune into the Guide to HR podcast for fresh, honest conversations about People and Culture!
I caught up with both Maggie and Gwenevere at Transform this year. Speaking of which, you can purchase a Transform 2026 Pass for $995 right now but the price is going up soon. The passes are refundable to a certain date and transferrable afterwards…buy your pass so you can hang out with all three of us next spring!
