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US CEO gives employees Fridays off without pay cuts, company's revenue rises nearly 160% in 3 years
A US CEO gave employees Fridays off without pay cuts, and his company recorded nearly 160% revenue growth over three years.
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A US-based CEO's decision to give his employees every Friday off without reducing their salaries appears to have paid off, with his company's revenue growing by nearly 160% over three years.
(Also read: US CEO amazed by India's 10-minute delivery culture, says country is 'living in 2030')
Jake Kurtz, founder and CEO of Tampa-based social media agency Brick Media, introduced a four-day working week in January 2023 after exploring similar arrangements adopted by European companies.
According to a Fortune report, Kurtz initially tested the arrangement for 90 days before making it permanent in April 2023.
Since then, the company's revenue has increased by 73% in 2023, 39% in 2024 and another 8% in 2025, representing approximately 160% cumulative growth.
How does the four-day workweek operate?
Under the arrangement, employees work nine hours daily from Monday to Thursday, completing 36 hours a week instead of the traditional 40. Their salaries and full-time benefits remain unchanged.
Employees are also allowed to work remotely for three of the four working days, with only one day requiring office attendance.
Kurtz said the company occasionally handles urgent client requests on Fridays or weekends, but such situations rarely require extended working hours.
Instead of increasing workloads, Brick Media hires additional employees when existing staff reach their capacity.
The company served 56 clients throughout 2022, compared with 85 in the first six months of 2026. However, Kurtz acknowledged that profit margins have remained largely unchanged as payroll expenses have increased alongside revenue.
Employees are choosing to stay longer
The four-day schedule has also coincided with a decline in employee resignations.
According to figures shared with Fortune, six employees voluntarily left the company in 2022, compared with two each in 2023 and 2024, three in 2025 and none so far in 2026.
Its workforce has grown from 15 employees in 2022 to 25 in 2026.
(Also read:₹4.7 lakh monthly"> US CEO claims Indian man offered to work for free, says now he earns ₹4.7 lakh monthly)
Kurtz believes the arrangement helps retain experienced employees and improves efficiency, although he does not attribute the company's entire revenue growth to the shorter working week.
"People have a hard time leaving the four-day schedule once they experience it," he told Fortune.
What employees say
Andrea Echeverry, Brick Media's director of client experience, said the arrangement has helped employees become more efficient without significantly reducing their responsibilities.
A working mother, Echeverry now spends Fridays with her child and manages personal commitments.
"We’re sort of like redefining work-life balance," she told Fortune.
Kurtz believes companies can gain a competitive advantage by offering employees greater flexibility while maintaining business performance.
