Backfilling boss’ position + comp negotiation
My manager (company founder) accepted an offer for a top c-level position for a different company. Part of the reason why I was so pumped about this job was to work more closely with this person as there was a lot I could learn from them and they were very accommodating of the entrepreneurial spirit (working for them while I concurrently figure out my own startup in a different industry). There are other reasons as well but I'll keep those to myself. I've spoken with the other founders and they've informed me that not much will change, except that I will be reporting to them now—department head position (my boss) will not be backfilled and I will in essence still be doing what I’ve been hired to do albeit losing my skydiving buddy. I guess the question here is do I have bargaining chips? I am in ops and their service is VERY ops-heavy. I’ll be integral in the strategy of how the ops team will be structured and built as well as other strategic initiatives for product development. And if I do have an opportunity to negotiate better TC, what do you think that would look like? TC: $95k, 0.25% equity, started in August 2019 Company: Seed round in mid 7-digits—great cap table, consumer/corporate litigation space, under 10 employees atm I was going to wait until at least 90-days to bring up some sort of raise (once I have proven myself a bit more) but this presents a unique opportunity to accelerate that notion. Any and all advice is apprciated. Still bummed about my boss leaving, but hey. 🤷♂️🤘
You’ve been there less than two months and you think you are irreplaceable and deserve a raise for doing the same work you were hired to do? Ops is a cost center, not a profit center. You don’t have the bargaining chips you think you do.
Ok. Thanks for the feedback. In all honesty you don't know what the product is, so you can't make a generalized statement as such. Also, you don't know what kind of experience I bring to the table. But I appreciate your sentiment.
If you have a service-driven and reliant product, ops becomes a revenue source that blends in with cogs
If you came to me demanding a raise less than 90 days after accepting an offer I'd tell you to hit the road. Especially if you were naive enough to think you were 'integral' at < 90 days and 95k TC.
Ok bro
No problem 'bro'. Tough pill to swallow but anyone making 95k is easily replaceable.
I would give any job 6 months before starting a comp negotiation. You haven’t had enough time to establish any real arguments that are tied to business KPIs (revenue, customers, shipped components or software... etc). Your time utilization is not a good argument. You described an employee and a founder who are not committed. If I was an investor I would be having serious reservations right now.
That's real. I appreciate the advice. In retrospect, the founder exiting was pivotal in gaining the company's current investors.. which is why I found it valuable to take the role in the first place. So I think investors are in-the-know more than what's percieved. Again, appreciate the feedback. 🤙
So the investors wanted the founder out? Was he/she the ceo? Do you have the responsibility now?
Get the money NOW!
Thanks. Any advice on how to jumpstart that conversation?