The case against employee stock options

INC. THIS MORNING The case against employee stock options Good morning, Once you’ve started your business, you need to hire in order to grow it--and employees with the skills you need don’t come cheap.  No problem, you might think--you can hand out equity. Not so fast, writes Inc.com columnist Joe Procopio. Startup hiring boils down to a tug of war, he writes. On one side, there’s you, trying to hire the best talent for the least amount of cash. On the other side are your potential new hires, who want to get in on the ground floor of a company while being able to financially survive the journey.  Reaching a compromise involves tradeoffs, and the most valuable salary tradeoff might not be what you think--but it certainly isn’t equity. Read Procopio’s column to learn which alternatives could help you hire top talent without breaking the bank. JOIN US: So much of our personal data is bought and sold behind our backs, and almost none of that activity would strike most consumers as ethical. Three years ago, serial entrepreneur and investor Angela Benton launched data-science firm Streamlytics to bring transparency to the sale of personal data. Benton initially bootstrapped the Los Angeles-based company before raising seed and angel funding, including money from actor, writer, and producer Issa Rae. Join us for our next Real Talk discussion, featuring an hour-long conversation with Benton.  Wednesday, August 25, 2021, 12 p.m. ET Reserve your free spot. HERE'S WHAT ELSE I'M READING TODAY: Trust is essential in all relationships, including business ones. Here’s how to build it--and keep it. --Inc.​​ Small-business confidence is down to its lowest level since March as the fast-spreading Delta variant sows anxiety. --The Wall Street Journal Related: A key measure of consumer sentiment dropped dramatically in early August. --CNBC Debt can be a perfect tool to grow your business--if you use it correctly. --Inc. Building an effective employee training program doesn’t have to be expensive. Here’s how to start. --Inc. ONE MORE THING: It’s time to banish acronyms, initialisms, and abbreviations from your communication. --Inc. --Sophie Downes Assistant editor, Inc. How are we doing? Send me ideas and feedback at sdownes@inc.com, and on Twitter. Join the visionaries who choose Inc. as their trusted source for the most accurate reporting on business. Join Inc. Unlimited today. Click here to forward to a friend. This email was sent by: Mansueto Ventures 7 World Trade Center, 29th Floor New York, NY, 10007, Unsubscribe • Update Profile • View in Browser • Privacy Policy