This told essay is based on a conversation with Sebastian Jimenez, CEO and co-founder of Rilla, a New York City-based AI startup that develops voice analysis software for in-person sales teams. Lila moved to Williamsburg, Brooklyn in 2026. This essay has been edited for length and clarity.
I started Rilla in 2019 because I was fascinated by the creative process.
I did stand-up comedy in college, so I loved the idea of trying something, failing, getting feedback and improving. That’s what launching a startup is like.
That same philosophy is one reason we offer an $18,000 annual housing benefit to employees who live within about a 10-minute bike ride from our Williamsburg office. We want to remove friction from people’s lives so they can spend more time in flow.
Although we are one of the fastest growing AI startups, we are not trying to replace talent. We make what I like to call the Iron Man suit for salespeople.
That same philosophy shapes how we think about our people.
flow state
Lila has what many would call a very hardcore culture.
I was greatly influenced by the book Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience. The central idea is that one of the purposes of life is to spend as much time as possible in a state of complete focus and immersion. That’s our optimization.
At Lila, we believe that we need to create an environment where our employees can participate in the flow almost 100% of the time.
Our employees typically work 12-hour days and are in the office six days a week. We don’t track people’s comings and goings or force them to work here. We carefully select people who desire such an environment. Many of them are former Division I athletes, entrepreneurs, or people who have always pushed themselves to perform at a very high level.
I think these times will help you cut out a lot of excess fat in your life. When you spend that much time at work, you become more intentional about how you spend the rest of your time.
new office space
Lila signed a 10-year lease for penthouse office space at 25 Kent Street in Williamsburg. lira
As we grew to about 120 employees, we realized something was working against us. It’s an office.
The windows in most commercial buildings are sealed, which means CO₂ accumulates throughout the day. Studies have shown that when CO₂ levels rise enough, cognitive performance can be significantly reduced. People think they’re tired at 3pm, but it’s often because they’re breathing stale air.
This recognition led us to hire Dr. Joe Allen of Harvard University, one of the world’s leading experts in healthy architecture. We visited around 20 offices to find one with good ventilation.
We ended up signing a 10-year lease for an entire floor of our penthouse at 25 Kent Street in Williamsburg. Because Dr. Allen said it had the best ventilation system he had seen in New York City. Clean air may sound boring, but if your business relies on creativity and focus, it’s important.
our merits will be rewarded
All the benefits we offer serve one purpose. It’s about helping people stay healthy and spend more time doing meaningful work.
We’re not trying to coddle people. Many companies offer perks that end up distracting employees. We ask ourselves, “Will this help someone get into the flow?”
So we pay for three meals a day. That’s why we’re building gyms with saunas and cold plunges. That’s why we offer an $18,000 annual housing benefit to employees if they choose to live within about a 10-minute bike ride from the office.
Commuting is one of the most annoying parts of people’s day. If someone works 12 hours, sleeps 8 hours and exercises for 1 hour, there is not much free time left. I’d rather spend my time with my family, reading, or doing something meaningful than sitting on the subway.
In total, we spend about $37,000 per employee annually on housing, food, and fitness benefits, before considering things like health care, retirement, and equity.
We are a very capital efficient business, so we are fortunate to be able to afford to make this much investment. Each engineer generates approximately $4 million to $5 million in recurring revenue annually.
Housing allowance is voluntary, but approximately 80% of employees receive it.
Our goal is not just to bring people into the office. It’s about creating an environment where they can do the best work of their lives. And if they stay in the Rila for too long, they usually end up pretty beat up. Because they eat well, exercise, and live in a culture that values performance.