Stop Building Sinking Ships

Last week esteemed fellow Comp Café writer, Stephanie Thomas, Ph.D., wrote an article asking, “Should You Scrap Your Long-Term Incentive...

Compounding Our Pay Problems

The pay ratios between CEOs and average employees are once again in the news. This is partly because proxy season...

Startup Equity: The Most Common Mistake (Part 7 of an n part series)

Here is my 2017 gift to you. I truly believe that equity compensation helped build the technology industry, and therefore...

Startup Equity: Synthetic Equity or Sharing Without Sharing (Part 5 of an n part series)

When you hear “equity compensation” and startups, you immediately think of stock options. More recently RSUs (restricted stock units that...

Startup Equity: Comparing Your “Currency” to a Competitor’s (Part 4 of an n part series)

Comparing base bay is relatively easy, equity not so much. A dollar is a dollar. And, if a dollar isn’t...

Startup Equity: Why are VCs Getting so Stingy with Equity? (Part 3 of an n part series)

Does this familiar? You had a great idea and turned it into a company. Somehow you got to the point...

Broadway Acts on Sharing Success

You build it. You buy it. This may become the new mantra on Broadway. The original cast of Hamilton was...

OMG! You Were Right All Along!

Remember that time you spent weeks modeling a new incentive plan only to have it shot down? They explained that...

The Real Cost of Mismanaged Incentives: Wells Fargo

Well, so much for the warm-hearted caffeinated, pick-me-up from the Comp Café. Today is a steaming jolt of quadruple espresso...