From Chores to Comp Bands: Advisor360’s CPO on Pay Transparency, Financial Wellness & Generational Wealth

Summary
How do you build a compensation philosophy that actually develops careers, reduces pay anxiety, and supports long-term wealth—not just short-term retention?

Dena Upton, Chief People Officer at Advisor360, shares how her early lessons in frugality, risk-taking, and responsibility shaped her approach to pay transparency and total rewards.

Drawing on experiences across hyper-growth startups and fintech organizations, Dena explains why transparency drives better manager conversations, how equity can become a life-changing wealth engine, and why financial wellness is becoming the next frontier in benefits.

She breaks down practical moves—from rolling out pay bands globally, to offering Robinhood Gold and advisory coaching, to tying performance incentives directly to bookings so everyone has ownership in growth.

For leaders designing pay systems in a shifting talent market, this episode offers a grounded roadmap for building compensation strategies that support mobility, autonomy, and generational wealth.

Timestamps

[00:42] – Guest intro: Dena’s path from Accenture → startups → fintech → Advisor360

[02:15] – First money memories: chores, shared responsibility, and learning to save

[03:35] – First paycheck at a waterpark and the pride of buying something earned

[04:55] – How early money values shape her approach to employee pay and risk

[07:14] – Where compensation & benefits break down: communication, transparency, and skill development

[08:31] – Opening up the comp conversation: clear bands, growth paths, and removing bias-driven negotiations

[09:45] – The full total rewards picture: equity, bonus, benefits, and financial wellness

[11:35] – Meeting employees where they are: student debt, financial habits, and investing confidence

[12:18] – Transformational equity moments: career mobility and generational impact

[15:02] – Measuring outcomes: engagement, retention, recruiting signals, and comp band positioning

[17:20] – Benefits trends to watch: mental health meets financial wellness

[18:58] – Tools: Rippling for compensation consistency & workflow automation

[20:03] – A 30-day challenge: push pay transparency—especially in global teams

[21:30] – Closing reflections: financial wellbeing as freedom and empowerment

Takeaways

• Lead with transparency: Shared pay bands reduce bias, shift conversations to skill development, and build trust.

• Make rewards holistic: Treat compensation as base + bonus + equity + benefits + financial literacy support.

• Teach financial confidence: Employees benefit most when they understand investing, risk, and long-term planning.

• Equity can change lives: Structured ownership opportunities can create real generational mobility—not just retention.

• Financial wellness is the next competitive edge: Offer tools like investing access, advisory coaching, and meaningful match programs.

• Push global transparency: Even if it feels uncomfortable, consistency across regions strengthens culture and clarity.

  
  

Sponsor

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