Meet Payd
Payd is an innovative financial technology company, with around 50 employees. The OKR Institute worked with Payd to train the organization to use Objectives and Key Results effectively. The aim was to bring more clarity to strategy and make work more efficient, while building a culture of steady improvement and growth.
In a fast-moving fintech business, where things change quickly and a small team has to stay sharp, a clear way to set and track goals is genuinely valuable. For a young company, getting these habits in place early can shape how well it scales later on.
Building OKR Literacy From Scratch
Payd faced three challenges in adopting OKRs. The first was familiarity. Across the organization, there was a general lack of understanding of the OKR framework, so the basics had to be taught well before anything else. The second was alignment in a fast-moving setting. Payd needed OKRs that matched its strategic goals and could keep up with the quick changes of the fintech world. The third was engagement and staying power. Getting the whole organization involved in the OKR process, and keeping it going over time, called for a thoughtful, complete approach rather than a one-off push.
Being small was both a help and a test. A team of fifty can align quickly because everyone is close to the action, but it also means there is little slack. If OKRs added friction, a small team would feel it immediately.
Tailored Training for a Young Company
The OKR Institute offered a tailored set of solutions for a young, fast-growing company.
- Comprehensive training programs: We built and delivered training shaped to Payd's context, introducing OKR fundamentals, good practice, and tools for putting them to work.
- Alignment and execution workshops: We ran workshops that lined OKRs up with Payd's strategy, so every team and person could see how their goals fit the company vision.
- Support systems and resources: We gave ongoing support, including OKR software tools, best-practice resources, and consultation, to keep adoption steady and improving.
For a company this size, helping each person see how their goals fit the whole was especially powerful. In a small team, everyone's work is visible, so a clear line from individual goals to company strategy quickly became part of daily conversation.
What Made it Work
- Strong fundamentals first: The basics were taught well before moving to advanced topics, so every team member had a solid foundation.
- Flexibility for a fast environment: The framework was designed to flex with rapid changes, not fight them.
- Ongoing support: Continued resources and consultation kept adoption alive beyond the initial training sessions.
- Early habit building: Regular OKR reviews became part of the rhythm before the team grew, making it easier to scale later.
What Changed at Payd
Clearer strategy and execution
Payd saw a real lift in strategic clarity, with teams and individuals aligning their work more closely to company goals, making execution more efficient.
More engagement and collaboration
The training and alignment work increased engagement across the company, building an environment where teams shared insights and supported each other's goals.
A culture of improvement
The initiative helped grow a habit of regular OKR review, prompting teams to assess progress, learn, and adjust as needed.
What This Shows
Payd's case shows that OKRs are not just for big companies. A small, fast-moving fintech can get real value from them too, as long as the basics are taught well and the framework can flex with a changing environment. The key for Payd was pairing solid training with alignment and ongoing support, so OKRs became a habit rather than a one-time event. The lesson for any growing company is simple. Start with strong fundamentals, keep things flexible, and build the review habit early. Good habits set young companies up to scale well.
