Don't make this transactional

Thanks. I mean that. You've been here since the early days, when nobody knew if we'd make it, and I haven't forgotten that. But I want to be straight with you. When I saw you were thinking about equity right after launch, it hit me in a weird way. Not because you're wrong to think about it. It's just that this whole thing only works if we're in it together, not keeping score on every hard month. So what's actually on your mind? Is this about money, or is it more that you feel like the work isn't getting recognized?

Okay. That's fair to say, and I'm glad you said it out loud. But I'll be honest back: I don't think the answer is to start tracking who got what. Some of the newer people are getting attention because we need them right now, and that's not a judgment on you. You know how tight things are. Cash isn't where I want it, and equity is limited too, so every decision is a tradeoff. What I need from the people who have been here from the start is to keep showing up the way you have. If you're carrying more than you should, tell me specifically what that looks like, and we can look at the work. But I don't want this turning into a negotiation every time things get hard.

Good. I believe you, and that's why this matters to me. You've got real stake in this, and I want you thinking long term, not just about the next paycheck. What I can do is look at where your role is going. Leadership, scope, the stuff that makes this place worth building a career in. Let's talk about that properly, not in a rush. I'd rather spend twenty minutes on your future than have you feel like you have to fight for it in Slack.

Good. That's the kind of thinking I want from you. Honestly, you've been carrying a lot, and as we grow the roles that matter most are the ones people like you hold. So what would you want your role to look like in six months? Be specific. What would make you say "yeah, this is worth it"? Once we know what that is, we can figure out how to make it happen properly, with the right title and scope, and the rest will follow from there.

That sounds like the right direction, and I'm glad you're thinking about it that way. Strategy and leading the key projects is exactly where I need you. Mentoring the newer folks too, because that's how this place keeps its culture when we double in size. On the title, I'm open to it. I want it to match what you're actually doing, not just a label. So here's what I'd do: let's put together a short written scope for your role, what you own, what decisions you make, and what success looks like at six months. Then we review it together and figure out the title and the rest from there. What it would take is you keeping the momentum you've shown, and me being clear about what I can and can't do with the budget right now. I'm not going to promise things I can't back up. But I'm not going to pretend your work doesn't count either.

Good. I'm glad that landed. Let's get the scope done this month, while the launch is still fresh and everybody remembers what they actually did. Put down what you own, what decisions are yours, and what a good six months looks like. Send me a draft and we'll sit down and go through it. And I'll be straight with you: the equity piece is something I'm still looking at with the cap table and the cash position. I'm not going to hand you a number today. But when we do the scope, I'll come back with where I can go on the rest, and we'll take it from there. Thanks for being patient with me on this. It's a hard stretch for everybody.

I appreciate that, and I'm glad you're thinking about it as a long-term thing. That's the attitude that built this place. Here's my side. Send me the scope when it's ready, and I'll go through it properly. Once we both have it in writing, we can talk about how the compensation side lines up with it. I'm not going to put a number on it in Slack, and I'd rather we do it face to face so it's done right. Keep doing what you're doing. You're a big part of why we got to launch.

Appreciate that. I know this isn't simple, and I'm glad we talked it through instead of letting it sit. Send me the scope by Friday. We'll sit down the following week, just the two of us, and go through it line by line. I'll bring what I've got on the cap table and where the cash is, and we'll figure out the rest from there. Keep building with us. This company's going to be what it is because of people like you.