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Most Common Early Start-up Mistakes

Both Sides of the Table

Founder vesting. Yesterday I wrote a blog posting on founder vesting (see here ). You should implement restricted stock with vesting at the earliest stages in your company -even before the VC’s ask. Founder vesting is an insurance policy for all team members involved.

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First Round Funding Terms and Founder Vesting

Both Sides of the Table

One very important item from Chris’s original post that wasn’t picked up by Fred or Brad is founder vesting. Chris writes that early-stage deals should have: Founder vesting w/ acceleration on change of control. I’m protected against your walking (as are your co-founders protecting each other).

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First Round Funding Terms and Founder Vesting

Both Sides of the Table

The meme was kicked off by Chris Dixon with this post saying that term sheets need to be simplified and align investor / founder interests. This is part of my ongoing series “Pitching a VC“ There’s a great meme developing this morning on the need to simplify funding terms and documents.

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How To Prevent Your Founder’s Shares From Vaporizing

Startup Professionals Musings

Typically, vesting in startups occurs monthly over four years, starting with the first 25 percent of shares vesting only after an owner has remained active for at least 12 months (one year cliff ). Key founder vesting should have no cliff. Retain the right to reclaim stock from anyone leaving the startup.

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The Co-Founder Mythology

Both Sides of the Table

If you do decide to go down the 50/50 route, please at least consider: Make sure you have founder vesting for both of you. It is not uncommon to see startup founders walk before raising capital and take large pieces of equity with no vesting. We’re all friends when things are moving up and to the right.

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8 Keys To Maximizing Your New Venture Stock Net Worth

Startup Professionals Musings

Typically, vesting in startups occurs monthly over four years, starting with the first 25 percent of shares vesting only after an owner has remained active for at least 12 months (one year cliff ). Key founder vesting should have no cliff. Retain the right to reclaim stock from anyone leaving the startup.

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Founder’s Stock Is Gold, If You Know The Rules

Startup Professionals Musings

Since Founder’s shares are usually issued at the time the company is incorporated, they essentially have no real value. Vesting with no cliff. Most Founder vesting is not subject to the one year cliff because partners should already know and trust each other.

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