For Tony Cooper, owner of Cooper’s Plumbing & Air, the challenge wasn’t just about retention—it was about building something lasting with the people who would continue to grow the business.
That conversation started when Tony began recruiting for a high-level role—his now Operations Manager, Daren. Daren came from a corporate background and was looking for something more grounded and meaningful. When equity came up during their conversations, it became clear that this was something Tony needed to take seriously if he wanted to bring in top talent.
But as he began looking into options, Tony hit a wall. He spoke to multiple people for help, but few seemed to have real expertise in alternative equity. Most advice felt vague, conflicting, or impractical—not the clear, actionable guidance he was looking for.
“I talked to several lawyers, but most didn’t seem like true experts in the space, which made me uneasy.” said Tony.
At the ServiceTitan Pantheon conference in 2024, Tony discovered Reins by happenstance while looking for another booth.
"I started chatting with Chris and his team, and it turned out to be a perfectly timed, serendipitous discovery—just when I was actively looking for help with equity."
Initially, Tony was just looking for a simple contract to offer something to Daren. But after a few conversations, it became clear Reins offered far more than just documents—they offered a full system for alternative equity incentives.
"Chris asked questions that brought up concepts and conflicts that I would have never thought about. So his experience with other industries and with other companies was invaluable."
With Reins’ white-glove onboarding, Tony quickly moved from a single equity agreement to a comprehensive plan. He began using the full suite of tools: phantom equity, profit sharing, and bonuses—all clearly laid out for employees in a transparent, visual app.
Reins made it simple for Tony and Cooper’s. Employees could see their incentives, understand what they meant, and feel the impact. Most importantly, the Reins team worked directly with Tony’s leadership team to explain the program and build trust.
Today, Tony uses the full suite of Reins’ tools: phantom equity, profit-sharing, and bonuses—each of which enahnces the visibility to employees, helping them understand and feel the full weight of their compensation.
Tony rolled out the full Reins program in the first half of 2025, and the cultural shift was immediate. Before using Reins, his team didn’t fully understand or trust the bonus structures in place, some even dismissed them as unrealistic.
"I even had one manager tell me there was an employee asking for a raise in their base pay. So, I pointed out their bonus potential, and the managers said they don't really believe in that—that they don't really see it as real."
Now, that perception is changing. With Reins, incentive plans are real, and employees are more motivated to hit personal and company goals when they see how it impacts them.
“[Reins] helps us to focus on the numbers that we need to get so that we can all get our bonus and bring it home for the company” said Ami Baston, Marketing Director.
Tony had originally planned to keep the program limited to a few key people. But once he saw the potential, he decided to expand it.
"In the end, I put more people on it, even more than I would have originally, because I thought this will be worth the extra few dollars if I can get just that little bit more of production out of them."
And his managers are seeing that impact too.
“It was a wow moment for me, because I've never been a part of something like it. It was very motivational—something to look forward to. I learned I was part of the equity component, to let me have buy-in to the company, let me know I had a future here and what's in it for me.” said Sales Manager, John Goodwin.
“[Reins] definitely makes you like…want to make sure that we achieve those goals, exceed those goals, and strive harder” added HVAC Manager, Kenneth Stone.
For Tony, Reins delivered far more than just a contract—it delivered clarity, alignment, and motivation across the company. The platform made complex incentive strategies feel simple and actionable, and the team behind it made the process feel human. That translated all the way down to the outcome he has been able to see with him team as well.
"I can feel a culture shift as we have implemented this and put it right in their hands, the potential opportunity that they have in front of them."
