Clear decision guides for you
Straight comparisons of the tools you're choosing between, honest about where each one falls short. Where we quote a benchmark, we show its source.
9 guides of 1,000
How Big Should Your Option Pool Be? Sizing It From Your Hiring Plan
Size your startup option pool from a hiring plan, see how the option pool shuffle lowers your effective pre-money, and know what to negotiate in a term sheet.
Post-Money SAFE Conversion Math: A Worked Example
See how a post-money SAFE converts to shares in a priced round, with a worked example covering cap versus discount, multiple SAFEs and founder ownership.
How to Issue Stock Options: From 409A Valuation to Board Consent
The order of steps to grant employee stock options: equity plan, 409A valuation, board approval, grant paperwork, vesting terms and cap table records.
How to File an 83(b) Election Within the 30-Day Deadline
Step-by-step guide to filing an 83(b) election: who needs one, what the letter must contain, how to mail it with proof, and what happens if you miss 30 days.
Explaining Equity in an Offer Letter: What to Tell Candidates
How to explain stock options to a job candidate: the numbers to include, the plain-language points to cover, and the promises to avoid, with a one-page outline.
Moving Your Cap Table From a Spreadsheet to Software: A Migration Checklist
How to migrate a cap table from a spreadsheet to equity management software: gather documents, reconcile every share, fix common errors, and audit the import.
Build a Startup Cap Table That Models SAFEs and Dilution
Set up a startup cap table in a spreadsheet, convert a post-money SAFE, add a priced round and see who owns what after each step, with worked numbers.
When to Get a 409A Valuation and Keep Your Safe Harbor
Learn when a startup needs a 409A valuation, which events make an old one stale, and how the independent appraisal safe harbor protects your option grants.
QSBS Eligibility Checklist for Founders (Section 1202)
Check whether your startup stock could qualify for the Section 1202 exclusion: entity type, original issuance, active business, holding period and records.