The Next Web

JUNE 15, 2012

Not to mention the fact that every time you compensate with equity, you dilute your own ownership of the business. Any decision to hand out stock or stock options should be made within the big picture context of your company’s valuation and the total number of shares you’ll be granting. Tips for compensating with equity.

Equity 116

Equity Stock Options Vesting Stock 116

Up and Running

SEPTEMBER 20, 2021

For instance, the cap table will help you with various possibilities while running business activities like available options and pre-money valuations faster. This can be helpful when you are hiring a COO for the company, and the candidate asks to get percentage ownership in the company. Example of a cap table.

Cap Table 112

Cap Table Pre-Money Valuation Stock Options Option Pool 112

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 5, 2015

How much is in the option pool? Well, if you have an option pool of only 6% and have many more execs to hire to build out your team you’re going to ask for more options to be created in the future. Option pool (likely dilution in the future, which is a function of a higher price just not yet defined).

Pre-Money Valuation 150

Pre-Money Valuation Option Pool Post-Money Valuation Dilution 150

Berkonomics

NOVEMBER 23, 2023

How to give away too much too soon: Most early-stage companies make the mistake of making option grants to new hires at all levels that are too aggressive and distort the capital structure of the company to a degree that damages future professional investment. That size of grant would take much or most of the option pool.

Equity 62

Equity Stock Options Vesting Early Stage 62

Hunter Walker

AUGUST 7, 2017

But employee option pool is important enough that I wanted to briefly expand upon my comment above. While you should expect these sorts of hires to take below market cash comp versus what Google is paying them, this tradeoff needs to be replaced with equity upside.

Equity 94

Equity Pre-Money Valuation Option Pool Founder 94

thinkspace.com

SEPTEMBER 7, 2012

Chris Dixon wrote a blog post about “ The one number you should know about your equity grant “ The one number you should know about your equity grant is the percent of the company you are being granted (in options, shares, whatever – it doesn’t matter – just the % matters). Percent of the outstanding option pool: meaningless.

Equity 62

Equity Employee Founder CTO Hire 62

www.inc.com

SEPTEMBER 24, 2011

Back in 1997, Randy Parker was staring at a blank whiteboard, wondering where hed find the money to hire the employees and consultants he needed to build his new product. "We Besides the future potential earnings youre forgoing, youre also diluting your own ownership in the company. Mediation and Arbitration Agreement -- Sample.

Fractional CTO 40

Fractional CTO Equity Iowa Technical Cofounder 40

Berkonomics

SEPTEMBER 28, 2017

Most early stage companies make the mistake of making option grants to new hires at all levels that are too aggressive and distort the capital structure of the company to a degree that damages future professional investment. An option plan should carve out an addition of about 15% of the “fully diluted” shares.

Early Stage 102

Early Stage Equity Stock Options Vesting 102

Early Growth Financial Services

JUNE 26, 2014

Valuation — Know what these terms mean: Fully-diluted — This includes all issued stock and anything that could be converted into common stock (typically after an acquisition or IPO), such as your stock option pool.

Pre-Money Valuation 51

Pre-Money Valuation Option Pool Dilution Common Stock 51

ithacaVC

DECEMBER 13, 2013

They are typically pretty simple: (i) shares owned by founders and (ii) shares authorized for issuance in a stock option pool, some of which may be issued to employees already and some of which will be available for future issuance. And don’t forget that the options granted would come out of the available option pool.

Cap Table 67

Cap Table Pre-Money Valuation Option Pool Liquidation Preference 67

www.paulgraham.com

APRIL 28, 2010

Whatkind of anti-dilution protection do they want? For example, a seed firmshould be able to give advice about how to approach VCs, which VCsobviously dont need to do; whereas VCs should be able to giveadvice about how to hire an "executive team," which is not an issuein the seed stage. They just want to invest in this startup.

Technical Review 76

Technical Review Startup Software Review Angel Investor 76

www.instigatorblog.com

OCTOBER 23, 2010

I gave him similar numbers to what I had been given when I was hiring the first few employees for Standout Jobs. This is especially true when you think of a tech startup, where the first few hires are typically engineers/programmers. 1% is even less after you factor in dilution. 1% is even less after you factor in dilution.

Equity 41

Equity Employee Startup Vesting 41

Genuine VC

FEBRUARY 28, 2011

So optimizing a startup offer involves not just one key figure – salary – but also the option package. Nearly all startup employees receive a number of options figure in their offer. It is essential that you ask the “number of fully-diluted shares outstanding.” Senior-level position. Early-Stage.

Startup 121

Startup Equity Vesting Salary 121

Seeing Both Sides

JULY 15, 2009

Another term that impacts the price is the size of the option pool. Most VCs invest in companies that need to hire additional management team members and sales and marketing and technical talent to build the business. We put forward a “6 on 7” deal with a 20% option pool. I was competing with another firm.

Pre-Money Valuation 49

Pre-Money Valuation Option Pool Stock Options Post-Money Valuation 49

venturehacks.com

MARCH 21, 2008

Advisor compensation Whether you’re hiring a normal advisor or super advisor: Advisory shares are usually issued as common stock options. The options typically vest monthly over 1-2 years with 100% single-trigger acceleration and no cliff. Many advisors want options they can exercise immediately —that’s fine.

Advisory Board 44

Advisory Board Cap Table Vesting Equity 44

www.mattbartus.com

DECEMBER 9, 2012

If you are a company that is fundraising, keep in mind that there are a few different levers you can pull to change the amount of dilution that the founders will experience. Let’s say you receive a term sheet for a $1 million investment at a $3 million fully diluted pre-money valuation, and you’re kind of disappointed.

Warrant 40

Warrant Valuation Pre-Money Valuation Term Sheet 40

Berkonomics

MAY 12, 2010

Most early stage companies make the mistake of making option grants to new hires at all levels that are too aggressive and distort the capital structure of the company to a degree that damages future professional investment. An option plan should carve out an addition of about 15% of the “fully diluted” shares.

Early Stage 85

Early Stage Equity Stock Options Vesting 85

www.payne.org

SEPTEMBER 22, 2011

3 Dilution. 5 Stock vs Options. The re-heating of the venture funded tech market has pushed a heat up of the hiring market, and Im getting more calls from friends asking for help understanding startup stock (equity) offers. In a startup, dilution happens, and you just need to factor it in. diluted) terms.

Equity 56

Equity Employee Vesting Preferred Stock 56

www.startupnorth.ca

OCTOBER 23, 2010

Being an early hire at a startup gives an individual the ability to make tremendous impact on an organization as it grows – and both the founders and those hires should know it.” This should force companies to think about building value with each early hire, and not just filling a position. It’s just unfeasible.

Employee 41

Employee Founder Salary Equity 41

venturehacks.com

SEPTEMBER 22, 2011

In practice, you raise money or hire an employee because you need to, not because you want to. Say the equity equation tells you to pay a prospective hire above market. You should still pay the hire a market rate and save the company some equity. Say the equity equation tells you to pay a prospective hire below market.

Equity 40

Equity Cap Table Valuation RSS 40

thestartuplawyer.com

FEBRUARY 24, 2010

Who must be a co founder and who can remain a hired principal? When I find, and hire on options, the three perfect CEs/directors must I consider them co founders and treat them accordingly? Who must be a co founder and who can remain a hired principal? He obviously never launched a startup and got shafted by a co-founder.

Cofounder 40

Cofounder Founder Preferred Stock Startup 40