Meet: Dani Adelman, Director of Operations at TEN7
TEN7 is a fully remote UX and Drupal agency whose mission is to Make Things That Matter. The 10-person team designs, builds, and maintains digital experiences for organizations that create positive change in the world, with a focus on helping small teams scale their impact through thoughtful, accessible technology. TEN7 operates entirely within the U.S. and uses Gusto for payroll, which integrates smoothly with their stipend reporting process.
As Director of Operations, Dani Adelman manages business operations and leads HR initiatives for the team. “We’re a small company, so my title is accurate, but I do a lot more than my title says,” she explains.
When Dani joined TEN7 in 2020, the company was still handling stipends manually through PEX cards. “It wasn’t a great system,” she recalls. “There were cards, spreadsheets, and funds to load every month. It was a lot to manage.”
Challenge: Too many spreadsheets, too many steps
TEN7’s inefficient stipend process wasn’t scaling with their needs. Tracking card balances, loading funds, and updating spreadsheets every month took time away from higher-value work and created unnecessary administrative overhead.
“We had to load the funds, update the spreadsheet, and make sure everyone’s balance was right,” Dani recalls. “It wasn’t all in one place, and there were so many little things to manage.”
Even small purchases required extra oversight. Employees had to request approval for any expense over $250, which added friction for both employees and leadership.
It was clear that the system had reached its limit. Dani knew what didn’t work, so when she took over the process, she seized the opportunity to modernize how TEN7 managed employee benefits.
What’s next: Discovering Compt
When TEN7’s CEO found Compt in early 2022, the team made the switch quickly. The goal was straightforward: replace manual cards and spreadsheets with a single, automated lifestyle benefits platform.
“We wanted one place to manage everything — not cards for one stipend, spreadsheets for another, and company credit cards for the rest.”
— Dani Adelman, Director of Operations, TEN7
TEN7 needed something simpler and easier to maintain, and having automation and compliance built in would make the entire process hands-off for Dani.
“Compt seemed like it would do everything we needed: automate funding, track stipends in one place, and make it easy for employees,” Dani says.
Implementation was fast and painless. With help from Compt’s onboarding team, TEN7 imported employee data and launched within days. “It was such an upgrade from what we were doing before,” she explains. “Having all of our stipends in one place was exciting. It was exactly what we needed.”
Solution: One platform that saves time and simplifies everything
Today, TEN7 runs all its lifestyle benefits through Compt, including a $900 annual tech stipend, a $250 professional development stipend, and a $3,600 professional coaching stipend for their leadership team — all funded on each employee’s work anniversary. In addition, the company offers a $100 annual mental wellness stipend, along with a “Welcome Aboard” new-hire stipend to help team members set up their workspace from day one. TEN7 also uses several spot bonus stipends to celebrate wins and recognize great work throughout the year.
This stipend structure and program has been in place for years and continues to work seamlessly for their team, showcasing how easily Compt supports programs built around flexibility, recognition, and long-term engagement. Everything is automated (i.e., funding, tracking, reporting, reimbursements), so Dani no longer has to juggle multiple tools or approvals.
Dani now spends just 5-10 minutes a month in Compt, mainly reviewing receipts and running reports. “I’m probably in there twice a month for a few minutes. It’s self-sufficient,” she says.
Compt also eliminated the approval bottleneck for larger purchases. “Now, employees know when they’ll be reimbursed, and we don’t have to manage that process anymore,” Dani explains.
“Compt just made it really easy for me to put my receipt in there and know I was going to get reimbursed.”
— Dani Adelman, Director of Operations, TEN7
Results: impact in action
Time saved
Compt reduced TEN7’s stipend administration from more than an hour each month to just a few minutes. Dani now spends about 5-10 minutes twice a month reviewing reimbursements and running reports, which frees up time to focus on broader operational work instead of spreadsheets and approvals.
High engagement
Nearly every full-time employee uses Compt regularly (the CEO is the only exception). Dani says the clarity of each person’s available balance and reimbursement timeline has made the process simple and transparent for everyone.
Smooth adoption
“There was no pushback at all,” Dani explains. “People got used to it quickly, and now they just do it when they need to.” For a team of developers who value efficiency, the ability to submit and move on without extra steps has been a major win.
Reliable partnership
Compt has become a steady, behind-the-scenes partner that Dani can count on. The platform runs reliably month after month with almost no oversight, and every update has improved functionality without adding complexity. “I really appreciate the incremental improvements you make,” Dani says. “Every time you do that it gets better, even without me having to ask.”
For TEN7, the true ROI is time and trust. Compt turned a once-tedious stipend process into a background task that simply works. Dani doesn’t have to chase receipts, load cards, manage spreadsheets, or worry about compliance.
In short, Compt’s quiet efficiency lets the small team at TEN7 focus on their mission.
Future: Adapting programs and growing with Compt
After nearly four years with Compt, TEN7 continues to find new ways to refine its employee experience. Dani’s focus now is on helping employees make the most of their professional development stipend, a benefit the team plans to reimagine in the year ahead.
While stipends like tech and wellness see steady use, the professional development category has been trickier to maximize. “Our people are enthusiastic about learning and growth,” Dani says. “We just want to make sure it’s meaningful.”
To that end, TEN7 is considering shifting part of the stipend budget toward shared experiences, such as company or leadership retreats, while keeping Compt at the center of how funds are managed.
For Dani, that flexibility — and Compt’s steady evolution — continues to prove the platform’s value. Each enhancement builds on what already works, making it easier for her to manage stipends and for employees to get what they need without added effort.
That blend of reliability and flexibility makes Compt one of the simplest, most consistent parts of running the business.
Modern stipends. Minimal effort. Powered by Compt.
Compt helps small and midsize teams eliminate manual admin work and deliver lifestyle benefits employees actually use. Ready to see how it could work for your team?
