Startup Equity 101: Understanding, Negotiating & Maximizing Your Stake
Are you considering joining a startup, launching your own, or just trying to make sense of your current equity package? This deep dive with Milo Poplar who works with startups across continents, is designed to offer clarity.
We'll break down the basics of equity—what it is, how it works, when do you negotiate and what it means for your long-term financial future.
Our aim is to democratize access to knowledge and hope is that by the end of this event, you’ll walk away with the tools and confidence to make more informed career and business decisions, negotiate and participate more meaningfully in the value you help create.
Topics Covered:
1. Startup Equity Basics: What You Need to Know
What is equity? (Stock options, RSUs, founder shares)
How do vesting schedules and cliffs work?
Understanding dilution and what it means for your stake
2. When & How to Negotiate Equity
At offer stage: Questions to ask before signing
After joining: When is it appropriate to revisit equity?
How to set performance metrics and milestones, and are they common?
How to benchmark equity offers against market standards?
3. Avoiding Common Pitfalls
Hidden clauses that can impact your equity (e.g., repurchase rights, accelerated vesting)
How to know if an offer is fair (Red flags & green flags)
The tax implications of startup equity (83b for early exercised options)
4. Navigating Transitions: Leaving, Layoffs & Exits
What happens to your equity if you leave? (ISO x NSO deadlines, long exercise periods)
Exercising options: Costs & risks
IPOs, acquisitions, and secondary sales—what they mean for your shares
5. Q&A
Hear from Meg Brigman, Investor and Operator and Max Schreiner, an ex-operator and Julie Zinamon, Founder and Operator, about their real-world experiences.
Attendee questions on specific situations
Event Schedule:
5:30pm - 6:15pm : Check-in and Networking
6:15pm - 7:00pm : Deep Dive with Milo Poplar
7:00pm - 7:15pm : Hear from about real-world scenarios
7:15pm - 7:45pm : Q&A
7:45pm - 8:30pm : Networking and Doors Close