Both Sides of the Table

JULY 29, 2010

Mike Stern (wasn’t sure which one so leave a comment if it’s you): Q: “is it possible to sell your startup without venture investment if the company has big traction and a large user base?&# I talked about the need to have a restricted stock plan for your earliest employees. This is minutes 8-11.

Venture Capital 282

Venture Capital Term Sheet Valuation Stock Options 282

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 18, 2023

Every startup founder loves to prompt for questions from investors and potential key team members about their vision, and the huge opportunity that can be had with their disruptive technology. Early stage burn rates over $50K per month, or a runway of less than six months may indicate an inefficient or desperate startup.

Sweat Equity 207

Sweat Equity Burn Rate Technical Review Intellectual Property 207

Both Sides of the Table

DECEMBER 2, 2010

If you’re a pure startup and haven’t raised any money – you might change the life of every person you hire. I always encourage people to allocate a few extra stock options to those that join super early when your company is risky and they just believed in you. Your advice made a difference.&#.

Europe 352

Europe France San Francisco Chicago 352

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 28, 2009

This is part of my ongoing series Startup Lessons. And I made a version of this company-wide speech to our employees: “Look. Don’t overset expectations for your employees on the way in. We do hand out stock options. Building companies is hard work. It didn’t add up to me. I figured it out.

PR 331

PR Software Review Ireland Germany 331

The Next Web

OCTOBER 25, 2013

If you look at some of the latest startup offices, there seems to be a competition to who can have the coolest ping pong tables, kitchen, and big TVs displaying real time data. We spoke to some of the hottest startups to hear their experiences and tips for building a space that welcomes productivity, creativity, and keeps employees happy.

San Francisco 167

San Francisco Design Product Startup 167

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 14, 2017

As a starting point the board is intended to have legal and financial responsibilities to a few key constituencies: shareholders, debt holders, creditors, employees, government and major parties with whom the business operates. ICOs certainly have a place in startup financing.

Cofounder 217

Cofounder Stock Options Equity Technical Review 217

The Next Web

JUNE 15, 2012

From Silicon Valley to Peoria, Illinois, cash-strapped startups look for inventive way to finance their business – often handing out equity to employees, consultants, vendors, and other service providers. Speed is often of the essence early on in the startup lifecycle, and that often means rushing into casual arrangements.

Equity 116

Equity Stock Options Vesting Stock 116

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 6, 2010

Options are gravy - I lived through the first dot com era where we used stock options as a recruiting tool. We set our sites on our IPO price and then worked back to our current valuation and showed potential employees what we thought they could earn (with all legal caveats) if the company was successful.

Stock Options 294

Stock Options Stock Valuation Liquidation Preference 294

Up and Running

SEPTEMBER 10, 2014

According to the Angel Capital Association: Angels (private money) invest in 55,000 startups each year versus 1,500 companies by VC (venture capital) funding. ” Yes, the JOBS Act (Jumpstart Our Business Startups) is exciting, and it will bring a lot more potential investors into the marketplace. Stock Option.

Angel Investor 159

Angel Investor Technical Review Software Review Accredited Investor 159

thinkspace.com

SEPTEMBER 7, 2012

How to Divide Equity to Startup Founders, Advisors, and Employees. The part that I’d like to zero in on is when you’ve got a high growth company what are some of the best practices out there to distribute equity to the founders, advisors, and employees? Equity for Employees. Office Space. Virtual Office.

Equity 62

Equity Employee Founder CTO Hire 62

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 17, 2013

Wouldn’t you like to be one of the lucky people who joined Google and Facebook when these were startups, and now be a multi-millionaire? So people ask me “How many shares should I ask for when I join a startup today?” Thus, stock doesn’t “pay the mortgage” today, so to speak. Advisory Board Member, 1% Senior Engineer,3 -.7%

Stock Options 224

Stock Options Stock Advisory Board Startup 224

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 8, 2022

Here is my summary of the ten top creativity mistakes we both still see too often: Criticize any new idea or employee suggestion. An even better alternative could be stock options, linked to the long-term success of the company. A natural human reaction to any new idea is to point out potential weaknesses.

Stock Options 277

Stock Options Incubator Framework Stock 277

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 22, 2012

Wouldn’t you like to be one of the lucky people who joined Google and Facebook when these were startups, and now be a multi-millionaire? So people ask me “How many shares should I ask for when I join a startup today?” Thus, stock doesn’t “pay the mortgage” today, so to speak. Advisory Board Member, 1% Senior Engineer,3 -.7%

Stock Options 230

Stock Options Stock Advisory Board Startup 230

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 8, 2015

Every startup founder loves to prompt for questions from investors and potential key team members about their vision, and the huge opportunity that can be had with their disruptive technology. Early stage burn rates over $50K per month, or a runway of less than six months may indicate an inefficient or desperate startup.

Technical Review 120

Technical Review Due Diligence Sweat Equity Burn Rate 120

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 10, 2016

Every startup founder loves to prompt for questions from investors and potential key team members about their vision, and the huge opportunity that can be had with their disruptive technology. Early stage burn rates over $50K per month, or a runway of less than six months may indicate an inefficient or desperate startup.

Sweat Equity 120

Sweat Equity Burn Rate Technical Review Intellectual Property 120

Up and Running

MARCH 7, 2018

I spent years as a manager at a startup company. In my time, I learned a thing or two about the importance of preventing employee turnover. Aside from the time-consuming tasks of screening potential employees, interviewing, and re-hiring , losing and replacing employees is expensive. Here is how to do it.

Employee 91

Employee Startup Salary Hiring 91

Up and Running

OCTOBER 19, 2021

The American job market has become even more competitive amid the pandemic-fueled “Great Resignation” — the number of employees quitting their jobs peaked in April 2021 and has remained high over the past few months. . As a startup looking to hire your dream team, this news can be exciting. How to build your startup dream team.

Startup 127

Startup Salary Stock Options Employee 127

crowdSPRING Blog

OCTOBER 10, 2014

These posts and videos are about logo design , web design , startups, entrepreneurship, small business, leadership, social media, marketing, and more! The ROI of Blogging: What the Groove Blog is Worth to Our Startup – crowdspring.co/YUXa2r. The Ultimate Startup Marketing Strategy | by Venture Harbour – [link] crowdspring.co/1xxV8lb.

Social Media 97

Social Media Small Business Design Media 97

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 6, 2019

Here is my summary of the ten top creativity mistakes we both still see too often: Criticize any new idea or employee suggestion. An even better alternative could be stock options, linked to the long-term success of the company. A natural human reaction to any new idea is to point out potential weaknesses.

Stock Options 236

Stock Options Incubator Framework Stock 236

Steve Blank

OCTOBER 23, 2023

Most of her lessons were applicable to any government employee venturing out to the private sector. The same Emotional Quotient and approach that attracts investors will also attract excellent employees. For me, personally : People in the senior ranks at startups usually call themselves operators. Read part one here.

Government 241

Government Advisory Board Salary Sales Cycle 241

The Next Web

AUGUST 12, 2013

Define how you want to motivate your employees every day to produce high-quality and industry-leading results. It’s unrelated to the startup world, but I can highly recommend to watch “ Being Liverpool ”. But that’s the case for only tiny amount of startups. Startups fail. It’s fun, and well, you are incredibly excited.

Cofounder 119

Cofounder CTO Hire Startup Europe 119

Up and Running

DECEMBER 1, 2015

If you’re thinking about extending equity to an employee or a vendor (as in the example above), you should know that the topic is multi-faceted. If however you are giving a “normal employee” an incentive stock option plan (more on that later), that’s entirely different. Finding great employees first.

Equity 60

Equity Employee Stock Options Vesting 60

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 1, 2022

Wouldn’t you like to be one of the lucky people who joined Google and Facebook when these were startups, and now be a multi-millionaire or better? So people ask me “How many shares should I ask for or expect when I join a startup today?” Thus, options don’t “pay the mortgage” today, so to speak. 7% Product Manager,2 -.3%

Stock Options 343

Stock Options Advisory Board Stock Startup 343

A Smart Bear: Startups and Marketing for Geeks

SEPTEMBER 29, 2015

The proper ambition for a tech entrepreneur should be to join the ranks of the great tech companies, or, at least, to create a profitable, independent company beloved by employees, customers, and shareholders. But what about the other employees? Companies are constantly changing. Or eBay’s acquisition of PayPal?

Acquisition 120

Acquisition Technical Review Stock Options Employee 120

Up and Running

JULY 2, 2014

Picking the right attorney in your startup is as important as picking the right business partner. My business partner and I made many mistakes in our first tech startup, and so many of them were the result of choosing a lawyer who was a terrible fit. Let me paint the picture for you: We were about two months into our startup idea.

Technical Review 118

Technical Review Angel Investor Due Diligence Dilution 118

Feld Thoughts

OCTOBER 8, 2013

I am so very tired of MBO-based bonuses in startups. This is totally messed up in a startup. My partner Dave and I took the number, made a list of all employees, and figured out how much we were going to give each of them. Figure out an equation for converting the bonus amount (in current cash terms) to stock option awards.

Stock Options 146

Stock Options Technical Review Leadership Equity 146

YoungUpstarts

SEPTEMBER 27, 2017

In today’s start-up culture, it’s common for companies to offer employees the opportunity to own stock in the business. While most folks know the basic benefits of receiving stock, many employees are taken off guard by the tax implications that follow. Incentive Stock Option (ISO).

Stock Options 124

Stock Options Stock Capital Gains Vesting 124

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 22, 2010

This is part of my startup advice series. It’s still important advice for startup founders and something that I’m passionate about. They make terrible employees. Yes, if you were a startup CEO I would probably cut you some slack. If they are Google, Facebook and then a startup – you’re fine.

Hiring 392

Hiring Employee Vesting Silicon Valley 392

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 21, 2016

A question I often get asked as an advisor to startups is how to recognize and attract the best people to grow the business. First, you need to carefully define and advertise your requirements in terms as specific as possible to your startup. Good communication skills. Motivation and commitment to results.

Technical Review 120

Technical Review Stock Options Salary Hiring 120

Steve Blank

MARCH 16, 2016

There are many reasons to found a startup. There are many reasons to work at a startup. To most founders a startup is not a job, but a calling. But startups require money upfront for product development and later to scale. Traditional lenders (banks) think that startups are too risky for a traditional bank loan.

Liquidity Event 120

Liquidity Event Founder Liquidation Preference Private Equity 120

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 28, 2013

So as a startup CEO you constantly have to suspend disbelief. ” A startup CEO’s job is to absorb stress so the team doesn’t have to. Startups have to be optimists because no rational person would actually believe you could build Uber into the amazing company that it is today. We just need your $500,000!!”

Startup 417

Startup Dilution San Diego Stock Options 417

prosperati.com

OCTOBER 23, 2010

Prosperati HOME BLOG ABOUT CONTACT Blog Can A Startup Do OffShore Development? Part 2 Posted 07.15.2009 in Blog In my previous article ( Can a Startup Do OffShore Development? Company Culture Once we completed the hiring of our key staff, the next step was to create a great startup culture. Culture creation is not easy.

Offshore 40

Offshore Malaysia Developer Stock Options 40

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 2, 2014

Many startups these days are started by young, technical or product founders who are in the idealistic phase of their lives and careers. It’s why I wrote a post outlining why the job of a CEO is often “chief psychologist” – especially if the company grows beyond 20 employees. Startup Advice'

Startup 385

Startup Stock Options Cofounder Campaign 385

www.paulgraham.com

APRIL 28, 2010

Want to start a startup? A typical startup goes throughseveral rounds of funding, and at each round you want to take justenough money to reach the speed where you can shift into the nextgear. Few startups get it quite right. 1 ] A startups life will be more complicated, legally, if any of theinvestors arent accredited.

Technical Review 76

Technical Review Startup Software Review Angel Investor 76

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 17, 2017

There are certain topics that even some of the smartest people I talk with who aren’t startup oriented can’t fully grok. It’s common cocktail party chatter to hear people confidently pronounce that some well known startup is sure to blow up because, “How could they succeed when they’re not even profitable!” What did they actually do?

Stock Options 227

Stock Options Startup Dilution Venture Capital 227

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 19, 2017

Here is my summary of the ten top creativity mistakes we both still see too often: Criticize any new idea or employee suggestion. An even better alternative could be stock options, linked to the long-term success of the company. A natural human reaction to any new idea is to point out potential weaknesses.

Stock Options 141

Stock Options Incubator Framework Stock 141

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 29, 2015

Wouldn’t you like to be one of the lucky people who joined Google and Facebook when these were startups, and now be a multi-millionaire? So people ask me “How many shares should I ask for or expect when I join a startup today?” Thus, options don’t “pay the mortgage” today, so to speak. 7% Product Manager,2 -.3% Marty Zwilling.

Stock Options 120

Stock Options Stock Advisory Board Startup 120