TheRodinhoods

Advisory Position – How much Equity for how much Time?

I am an advisor to a couple of Companies and meet the founders regularly to help them in their business.

Also, I get proposals to help start ups, etc and join their advisory boards.

So far, I could never calculate out the delicate equation between how much time to dedicate to a Company vs the equity offered to me or held by me in the Company.

All of a sudden, this struck me:

– Assume that founders work 10 hours a day, 20 days a month (officially)

= 200 hours a month.

When they start a Company, they own 100% of it.

So, 200 hours a month = 100%

– Therefore, every 1 hour spent per month = 0.5%

This is the formula!

So, if someone asks you for 3 hours a month as advisory role, ask for 1.5% equity in return!

This equation may change as the Company gets funded and has a stated valuation, etc. but then the basic equation still holds its ground, because you are still not getting paid for your time unlike the VCs who paid and bought a stake.

So, if the Company has got funded via Series A and the promoters now own say 30%, then the equation becomes:

200 hours = 70% (held by promoters)

So, advice per hour each month = 0.35% equity (post funding)!

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