How much will I get paid on a startup board of directors
The dirty little secret is: you'll likely get paid nothing for serving on a startup board of directors. Here's why.
Latest
I just inherited $250,000. How do I invest that in a startup?
If you're young and just inherited some money, do not invest it in a startup.
Top up grants may be a costly gift for founders
As founders get more diluted with each round, investors often suggest top up grants. These aren't always a great deal.
You need to pay attention to the relationships between your investors
There are relationships among your investors that they probably won't tell you about, but matter deeply to your startup.
So you want to be on a startup board of directors
Discover how to join a startup board of directors, from pre-seed to IPO stages. Learn key strategies for positioning yourself, understanding roles, and maximizing networking opportunities to gain board seats. Get insights into board member responsibilities and compensation.
Lack of high performance is the hidden cause of cofounder conflict
Cofounders both need to be high performers for a startup to work. Cofounder conflict often has a performance issue at its root. Here's a methodology for demonstrating high performance to each other.
You should not hire an intern for your startup
You probably shouldn't hire interns at an early stage startup. Here's why.
Boot them or leave them. The harshest truest startup advice you'll ever get.
Here's my controversial advice: as soon as you know your cofounder isn't working out, boot them or leave them.
Why you should get a cofounder
All the reasons you should find a cofounder for your startup.
Why you shouldn’t get a cofounder
All the reasons you should remain a solo founder.
My cofounder isn't pulling their weight
What to do when your cofounder isn't doing their fair share of the work.
This is the biggest startup mistake brand new founders make
The biggest mistake new cofounders make is confusing administration with actual business progress.
Choosing a cofounder
Is four too many cofounders?
Large cofounding teams may seem like a good idea - more skills, more input, more fun. However, they quickly become messy, and it's likely that one or more cofounders won't stay long.
Investors
Why many VCs are toxic people
Feel like VCs are giving you the cold shoulder as a non CEO cofounder? Or that their behavior is truly bizarre? It's not just you.
Personal growth
How to avoid becoming the cofounder who doesn't scale
The cofounder who doesn't scale is almost always the non CEO. Avoiding that fate is about managing both perception and performance.
Roles
If you're a cofounder, is it better to be the CEO or not?
When cofounders launch a startup together, deciding who will be CEO may be a hard decision. If you're making that decision now, I'll what to think through. If you're still asking the question months later...you know the answer.
Cofounder relationship
Unconventional advice for how to choose a cofounder for your startup
The cofounder checklists out there are fine for screening people out but they won't help you choose the right cofounder. Here's why, and what to think about instead.
Cofounder relationship
I'm jealous of my cofounder CEO
As the other cofounder, if you didn't get occasional stabs of jealousy, you wouldn't be human. Here's what jealousy might be telling you and a few things to think about.
Equity split
What to do if you're afraid to talk to your cofounder about equity
The startup world is different from school or corporate. It calls you to grow and better yourself. The fear you have about talking equity with your cofounder is one of those calls.
Roles
The hardest thing about taking over as CEO from your cofounder
Changing perceptions is the hardest part of taking over from your cofounder CEO. What people see affects how they act, and it can be hard to get them to see you as the CEO. There are several different groups of people you need to consider: your board and investors, your employees, and yourself.
Cofounder relationship
My cofounder is leaving our startup. Can we still be friends?
Your cofounder is leaving your startup. Yes, you can preserve the friendship. Here are the stages you'll probably experience.
Investors
What I hate "The Myth of the Startup COO"
Investors are often unfairly dismissive of non CEO cofounders.
Equity split
What happens to equity when the cofounder CEO leaves your startup?
Any unvested equity goes poof. The board will try to convince the leaving CEO to give back a chunk of their equity. Most will.
Equity split
I still don't have enough equity in my startup. Can we renegotiate again?
Even late in the early stages of a startup, you can renegotiate your equity split with your cofounder. Here's how we did it.