Startup, received the largest amount of venture capital investments, attracted the attention of not only the press, blogosphere and competitors. Applicants crowd crammed into the door of such a project. Waiting for them there any bright prospects or hidden problems - that's what is important to understand.
Not every startup that suddenly gave hundreds of millions of dollars, will not be closed . In such start-ups of new employees the option and entices the prospect of becoming a millionaire in 25 years. But the reality may not be as expected for a number of reasons.
After entering the stock exchange a lot of ordinary employees Facebook 1 day become millionaires. But as a rule, a startup go public with much smaller amounts of shares, and if the staff find that a large option does not cost anything and is not particularly affect their future well-being. People who work in the company, give ordinary shares, on which you can earn in two ways: start-up so that as a result of its IPO shares soared in price; or startup bought a large corporation. At the same time holders of ordinary shares they forget that they will be paid interest only after its share owners receive privileged shares (and therefore, the remaining stake in the "mere mortals" will be the amount of money is not so great).
Major investment for a startup that does not have a clear future - this is more risk than benefit. In fact in front of us - a debt that will have to give the investor a return on growing and scaling the business. Several hundreds of millions invested in the Fab or Foursquare does not guarantee them a cloudless future. On the contrary: Foursquare has received $ 121 million, and the amount of debt is $ 20 million. The multiplier for the shares of such a start to be just great that the staff really anything earned in the event of the exchange.
Startup option in the loud - not yet secured for the well-being of the developer or manager. When the applicant offered to join the team of the project, ask yourself a few questions and employers to help understand what prospect waits for a new employee.
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| What You Should Know About The Options Taking A Job At A Startup |
1. Learn about the size of investment, debt and financing the start-up conditions from external sources. Also, find out what percentage of accounts for the simple, and what - to preferred shareholders.
The answers to these questions will help the applicant to understand, by what time it own shares in the option will have at least some value and bring him money. If the structure of stock options in strongly "skewed" in favor of the holders of preferred securities, the interests of ordinary employees are unlikely to be taken into account as a result of entering the stock exchange or redemption of a controlling interest by a large corporation. There are also options when part of the key specialists and top management receives a payment on the shares after the debt repayment on the loans, but before payment will be made on priviligerovannym and common shares. Learn about such details.
2. What is the payout structure?
Simply put: if the company is acquired Foursquare level for crazy money, what will be the price per common share at the hands of the employee? Enter any option of the applicant in the number of those shares for which the payment will be the priority? You can even ask questions, because of the particular hypothetical redemption amounts or investment. If you do not have a clear answer, or, conversely, it named some transcendental figure, a start-up or does not pay the promised reward of options, or never reach the declared capitalization.
3. If the position claimed by the applicant, provides the opportunity to discuss the terms of employment, it is necessary to discuss specific terms of the option.
The first payments of any startup - is debt repayment and payments on preferred securities. That is why employees who claim to high office, the right to bargain for individual conditions at its option. It concerns first of all the key positions in the development and management: people who bring a great contribution to the product and its management have the right to claim a greater share and certain financial guarantees. At least because all appreciate their time and effort.
4. All of the above questions do not hesitate to ask again if the coming new round of large-scale investment in the start-up.
If a major venture is expected to come round or startup has already accumulated a decent debt should ask these questions again. The situation is valid, even if the hiring some time ago you explained everything, and you have all arranged. Motivation of staff should be retained, even after the reorganization and structural changes in funding and revenue. So nothing bad will happen, if the employee is satisfied the strength of their financial future (or doubtful prospects: then there will be no illusions).
In the same team Foursquare say open to questions from their employees about the current and expected financial situation. Revenue growth for the quarter and attract additional venture capital funds are always staff explained how it will affect their future, what it means for them in terms of salaries, payments for shares, etc. Every week in the office all interested can ask questions about the current financial situation of the companies in collective or personal meetings with top managers.
