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...

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

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

Startup Equity: Isn’t It Refreshing? (maybe not) – (Part 6 of an n part series)

The historically long periods between the startup and “big event” for companies has given rise to many issues that were...

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...

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...

Applying Pixar’s “22 Rules of Storytelling” to Pay

What do ‘Up’, ‘Cars’, ‘Inside Out’, ‘Monsters, Inc’, ‘Ratatouille’, ‘Toy Story 3’, ‘The Incredibles’, ‘Finding Nemo’, ‘Toy Story’ and ‘WALL-E’...