How Beatgrid scaled global HR with Deel and one HR lead

Beatgrid Media is a fast-growing ad-tech company based in the Netherlands. When Shawnda Kohr joined in 2024 as the company’s first HRBP, Beatgrid had recently adopted Deel to support expansion across Australia, the UK, the US, Canada, and Germany. However, day-to-day HR work was still largely manual and fragmented across spreadsheets and email.

Before fully centralizing on Deel, the team faced:

• Manual payroll run by founders, creating bottlenecks and delays
• Time-off and expense approvals buried in long email threads
• Ad-hoc contractor hiring in new countries with limited legal oversight
• Performance reviews tracked in spreadsheets with unclear growth paths
• Inconsistent or missing policies, leaving employees unsure of their rights

Recognizing the gap, Shawnda evaluated several HR solutions—including Remote—and ultimately chose to standardize on Deel for its scale, compliance coverage, and ease of use.

Shawnda, the sole HR lead, quickly set up a compliant and efficient HR function that spanned six countries, using Deel as the all-in-one people platform.

• Hiring and compliance: With Deel EOR, Beatgrid hired full-time employees in Australia, the UK, and Italy—without opening local entities. Deel handled localized contracts, payroll, and benefits end to end.
• US workforce management: When it came time to open an entity in the U.S., Deel PEO guided the transition of payroll and benefits while ensuring compliance every step of the way.
• HR operations: Deel’s HRIS centralized all employee data. Time-off, policies, and documents were automated, reducing admin work and human error.
• Performance management: Deel Engage gave managers a structured, fair framework for OKRs and feedback, replacing spreadsheets with clarity and consistency.
• AI-powered support: Deel AI provided instant answers on everything from local contract rules to salary benchmarks, empowering Shawnda to make informed decisions without external counsel.

“Deel is more than a platform; it’s my strategic partner. For a one-person HR team navigating complex cross-border labor laws, that's invaluable.”— Shawnda Kohr, HRBP, Beatgrid Media

A one-person team managing a global operation

With Deel, Beatgrid built a global-ready HR operation without expanding the HR team. “Without Deel, I'd need to hire three full-time specialists: one for payroll, one for compliance, and one for HR support. Deel saves us their salaries and over 500 hours of manual work every single month.” — Shawnda Kohr, HRBP, Beatgrid Media

The impact wasn’t just on operations. It changed the employee experience. With Deel, team members could access payslips, submit expenses, and review performance cycles in one place.

“Employees deserve clarity. They need to know when they’re getting paid, understand their rights, and access information easily. Deel delivers that seamless experience.” — Shawnda Kohr, HRBP, Beatgrid Media

Shawnda now advises other fast-scaling companies to consolidate their HR tools and remove the guesswork from global hiring.

“The experience Deel provides for both employees and contractors is simply unmatched. When you weigh the cost of not having it—the administrative burden, the compliance risks, the poor onboarding—the decision becomes obvious.”— Shawnda Kohr, HRBP, Beatgrid Media

Beatgrid didn’t just adopt an HR platform. They built a compliant, scalable people function that flexes as they grow, and they did it all with just one person at the helm.