Comments on: The Turn Of The Screw – An Underkill Approach To Negotiating Your Startup Employment Package http://infochachkie.com/thescrew/ Hands-on startup advice for emerging entrepreneurs Thu, 17 May 2012 22:53:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: UncleSaul http://infochachkie.com/thescrew/comment-page-1/#comment-1349 UncleSaul Fri, 20 Feb 2009 14:37:08 +0000 http://www.infochachkie.com/?p=395#comment-1349 Adam - well said. I agree that the "right" mix of stock / cash is heavily contingent on the degree to which you trust the company to reward you for your future efforts. I am glad this approach has worked for you in the past. I meet far too many people who did a poor job of reading the Mgmt team and ended up bitterly disapointed. Take care, Uncle Saul Adam – well said. I agree that the “right” mix of stock / cash is heavily contingent on the degree to which you trust the company to reward you for your future efforts.

I am glad this approach has worked for you in the past. I meet far too many people who did a poor job of reading the Mgmt team and ended up bitterly disapointed.

Take care,

Uncle Saul

]]> By: Adam http://infochachkie.com/thescrew/comment-page-1/#comment-1347 Adam Wed, 18 Feb 2009 17:27:58 +0000 http://www.infochachkie.com/?p=395#comment-1347 Hi Saul, I really enjoy your posts. This one in particular. You make some great points. I've negotiated all sorts of compensation agreements with various start-ups and have to say that the negotiation is more indicative of the managements competency and style than anything. Looking back on the past I can see a correlation between the success of the company and the early negotiations. Those hiring managers who were open and honest and had a process in place for new hires were much more successful than those who tried their best to play the upper hand and keep things “secret”. Nothing scientific about this assessment except that my tenor is filled with several successes and a few failures. In the instances where the management was not open about the value of equity I took more cash. And it paid off. In the cases where the management was transparent and fair I took more equity and it paid off handsomely. For me it was the difference between becoming a key part of the team and being hired as an employee. When a boss keeps many secrets they tend to be micro managers and controlling. And in a start-up its key to have the feeling of equality. Nothing drives success more than a team working towards a single goal with the feeling that they will all share in the success. Keep up the good work! Adam Hi Saul,

I really enjoy your posts. This one in particular. You make some great points. I’ve negotiated all sorts of compensation agreements with various start-ups and have to say that the negotiation is more indicative of the managements competency and style than anything. Looking back on the past I can see a correlation between the success of the company and the early negotiations. Those hiring managers who were open and honest and had a process in place for new hires were much more successful than those who tried their best to play the upper hand and keep things “secret”.

Nothing scientific about this assessment except that my tenor is filled with several successes and a few failures.

In the instances where the management was not open about the value of equity I took more cash. And it paid off. In the cases where the management was transparent and fair I took more equity and it paid off handsomely. For me it was the difference between becoming a key part of the team and being hired as an employee. When a boss keeps many secrets they tend to be micro managers and controlling. And in a start-up its key to have the feeling of equality. Nothing drives success more than a team working towards a single goal with the feeling that they will all share in the success.

Keep up the good work!

Adam

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