Newsletter! Request for Feedback: What Makes a Great Company Education Program on Startup Employee Equity
Attorney Mary Russell counsels individuals on startup equity, including:
You are welcome to contact her at (650) 326-3412 or at info@stockoptioncounsel.com.
Hello Startup Community!
Here’s your quarterly update on startup equity from Stock Option Counsel, P.C. Thanks for a great year!
Request for Input - Company Education Programs on Equity Compensation. Several companies and venture capital firms have asked me how they can best educate their new hires on their equity compensation programs. I’d like to ask for your input so that I can share a list of best practices. Would you please take a moment to send me your ideas and experiences?
I’m curious to hear:
How have companies educated you on your stock options, RSUs, etc.?
Have you had access to live Q&A sessions? On-demand video trainings? Online calculators?
What has worked well? Not worked?
Who presented training sessions and answered your questions? The finance team? The legal team? Outside consultants?
Have company equity portals, such as Carta or Shareworks, included educational content? Was it helpful? How could it have been improved?
What would make a top-of-the-line employee equity education program?
Please send me any feedback you have! I’m at info@stockoptioncounsel.com.
Many thanks in advance for your input. I really love being part of this community, and hearing back from members of this mailing list means a lot to me.
Thanks for a Great Year. I'd like to thank our clients, blog readers and newsletter subscribers for a great year. Thank you!
I'm looking forward to 2022 to continue our mission of empowering individuals to make the most of their startup equity opportunities.
Happy Holidays and Cheers to 2022!
Best,
Mary
Mary Russell | Attorney and Founder
Stock Option Counsel, P.C. | Legal Services for Individuals
Attorney Mary Russell counsels individuals on startup equity, including:
You are welcome to contact her at (650) 326-3412 or at info@stockoptioncounsel.com.
In the News: Startup Employees in the Dark on Equity
Attorney Mary Russell counsels individuals on startup equity, including:
You are welcome to contact her at (650) 326-3412 or at info@stockoptioncounsel.com.
“Mary Russell, an attorney who founded Stock Option Counsel to help employees evaluate their equity compensation, says the first step is for employees to make sure any equity is theirs to keep. Some companies have repurchase rights in their equity agreements that give them a right to buy back shares and options from any employee who leaves; and some give founders or investors broad latitude to change the terms.
“If the company can take back employee shares it dramatically limits the value of those shares,” says Ms. Russell. “It’s the sort of thing an employee needs to know about when they go into a job.” She says it’s as simple as asking whether the company can take back vested shares.”
See Katie Benner's full article, Startup Employees in the Dark on Equity. The Information is a subscription publication for professionals who need the inside scoop on technology news and trends.
Attorney Mary Russell counsels individuals on startup equity, including:
You are welcome to contact her at (650) 326-3412 or at info@stockoptioncounsel.com.
Repurchase Rights are "Horrible" for Employees
Attorney Mary Russell counsels individuals on startup equity, including:
You are welcome to contact her at (650) 326-3412 or at info@stockoptioncounsel.com.
“As an aside, some companies now write in a repurchase right on vested shares at the current common price when an employee leaves. It’s fine if the company wants to offer to repurchase the shares, but it’s horrible for the company to be able to demand this.”
What can you do about it? Ask before you join:
“Can the company take back my vested shares?”
For more from Sam Altman, see his post, Employee Equity. For more on repurchase rights on vested shares, see Clawbacks for Startup Stock - Can I Keep What I think I Own? For more on questions to ask to make sure you have true startup equity, see our post, Startup Equity Standards - A Guide for Employees.
Attorney Mary Russell counsels individuals on startup equity, including:
You are welcome to contact her at (650) 326-3412 or at info@stockoptioncounsel.com.