Stop Building Sinking Ships

May 23,2017May 23, 2017
By In Articles, Bonus, Equity Compensation, ESPP, Executive Compensation, Long Term Incentives, Pay For Performance, Performance Units, Restricted Stock, RSU, SAR-Stock Appreciation Rights, Say on Pay, Short-Term Incentives - STI, Stock OptionsTags , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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

Apr 18,2017April 18, 2017
By In Articles, Base Pay / Salary, Bonus, Communication, Compensation Philosophy, Equity Compensation, ESPP, Executive Compensation, Long Term Incentives, Performance Units, Restricted Stock, RSU, SAR-Stock Appreciation Rights, Say on Pay, Short-Term Incentives - STI, Stock OptionsTags , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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

Startup Equity: Staying Private in a Public World (Part 11 in an n part series)

Feb 13,2017February 13, 2017
By In Articles, Compensation Plan Design, Equity Compensation, Executive Compensation, Long Term Incentives, Pay For Performance, Performance Units, Private Companies, Restricted Stock, RSU, SAR-Stock Appreciation Rights, Start-up Pay, Stock OptionsTags , , , , , , ,

It is readily accepted that an IPO is Nirvana to a startup. Of course, a fantabulous acquisition will also work...

Startup Equity: What About Performance? (Part 10 of an n part series)

Feb 02,2017February 2, 2017
By In Articles, Compensation Planning, Equity Compensation, Long Term Incentives, Pay For Performance, Performance Units, Private Companies, RSU, Start-up PayTags , , , , , , , , , , ,

“But, how do I make sure that the person is a great performer before I am forced to give them...

Startup Equity: Three Crucial Variables (Part 9 of an n part series)

Jan 23,2017January 23, 2017
By In Articles, Communication, Compensation Philosophy, Compensation Plan Design, Equity Compensation, Executive Compensation, Long Term Incentives, Performance Units, Private Companies, Restricted Stock, RSU, SAR-Stock Appreciation Rights, Start-up Pay, Stock OptionsTags , , , , , , , , ,

Startup equity has approximately a gazillion moving parts. But three of these variables are far more important than all of...

Startup Equity: No. They Don’t Get It. (Part 8 of an n part series)

Jan 11,2017January 11, 2017
By In Articles, Communication, Compensation Plan Design, Equity Compensation, Long Term Incentives, Pay For Performance, Performance Units, Private Companies, Restricted Stock, RSU, SAR-Stock Appreciation Rights, Start-up Pay, Stock OptionsTags , , , , , , ,

During a recent presentation I did for industry professionals, an attendee claimed that his employees didn’t need additional education on...

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

Jan 03,2017January 3, 2017
By In Articles, Bonus, Compensation Philosophy, Equity Compensation, ESPP, Executive Compensation, Long Term Incentives, Performance Units, Restricted Stock, RSU, SAR-Stock Appreciation Rights, Say on Pay, Short-Term Incentives - STI, Start-up Pay, Stock OptionsTags , , , , , , , , ,

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)

Dec 06,2016December 6, 2016
By In Articles, Bonus, Equity Compensation, ESPP, Executive Compensation, Long Term Incentives, Pay For Performance, Performance Units, Restricted Stock, RSU, SAR-Stock Appreciation Rights, Say on Pay, Short-Term Incentives - STI, Start-up Pay, Stock OptionsTags , , , , , , , , , ,

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)

Nov 28,2016November 28, 2016
By In Articles, Bonus, Equity Compensation, ESPP, Executive Compensation, Long Term Incentives, Pay For Performance, Performance Units, Restricted Stock, RSU, SAR-Stock Appreciation Rights, Say on Pay, Short-Term Incentives - STI, Start-up Pay, Stock OptionsTags , , , , , , , , , , ,

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