Share this article:

VIDEO: CEO's inspirational speech that got employees working for free

Tim Westergren, CEO of Pandora Music Company, has revealed how he persuaded his staff to work for two years with no pay after the company went bust.

The Co-Founder launched his music streaming business in 2000 with a start-up investment of $2million. Unfortunately, just one year later, Pandora was officially bankrupt. However, Westergren refused to throw in the towel, instead delivering a persuasive speech imploring his 50 employees to carry on regardless of whether they would receive a pay check or not.

So how exactly did he do it?

Subscribe now to continue watching this content!

Subscribe now to myGrapevine+ and get access to our comprehensive knowledge portal.


Already a subscriber?Sign in

Welcome Back

Sign up to our daily newsletter

Have content like this delivered directly to your inbox.


Recommended

HR Grapevine
HR Grapevine | Executive Grapevine International Ltd
  • Podcast
  • 21:57

Podcast | Ricoh EMEA: How purpose & employee voice are shaping our AI transformation

HR Grapevine
HR Grapevine | Executive Grapevine International Ltd
  • News
  • 4 mins read

'Technical issues' | Minimum wage breaches list exposes hidden payroll risks for HR

HR Grapevine
HR Grapevine | Executive Grapevine International Ltd
  • Feature
  • 5 mins read

Forget the purple squirrel | Docebo's CPO on hiring for adjacent skills, not perfect resumes

HR Grapevine
HR Grapevine | Executive Grapevine International Ltd
  • Webinar
  • Register Now

Deep Work, Healthy Minds: Redefining Productivity in the Age of AI

HR Grapevine
HR Grapevine | Executive Grapevine International Ltd
  • Resource
  • Download Report

The future is payroll: 2026 research report