Have/would you ever give up salary to fund something you think will be good for the company?

RichRelevance
Zodian

RichRelevance

Zodian
Nov 8, 2019 19 Comments

Is it ever wise to offer to divert some of your personal salary (pre tax) towards helping fund a partnership/investment that your exec team/board rejects, but that you feel pretty certain will have a significant impact on the valuation of the company?

What if the diverted salary could be reimbursed in (pre-ipo) equity?

comments

Want to comment? LOG IN or SIGN UP
TOP 19 Comments
  • Zymergen / Other
    aGVa04

    Go to company page Zymergen Other

    aGVa04
    Absolutely not, that's a sucker move
    Nov 8, 2019 2
  • Only appropriate answer is: Hell No!

    That being said, only exception would be when you have a liquidity event coming up very soon and you strongly believe it will impact the immediate value of *your* shares, by some significant percent, and this is more than an opinion or “feeling”.
    Nov 8, 2019 0
  • New / Eng
    yuminstall

    New Eng

    yuminstall
    Bought an espresso machine so we didn't have to drink crappy coffee
    Nov 8, 2019 1
    • New / Eng
      yuminstall

      New Eng

      yuminstall
      It increased employee productivity thereby increasing the company's valuation
      Nov 8, 2019
  • New
    I B M

    New

    I B M
    I would, especially if it makes my job easier, offered to give away some of my pay raise to a key employee I felt should stay.
    Nov 8, 2019 2
    • Groupon
      TotoroPo

      Go to company page Groupon

      TotoroPo
      As generous as that makes you, why is this coming out of your pocket and not the CEO/shareholder? I’d love to have more context
      Nov 8, 2019
    • New
      F B

      New

      F B
      It came out when I offered...
      Nov 8, 2019
  • Wayfair / Eng
    BScK77

    Go to company page Wayfair Eng

    BScK77
    Only in small ways, like team lunches or going away lunches for departing employees, which my boss (CEO) did not allow to be expensed. The going away lunch is a great example. It's nice for the departing employee, but it also a way to show the ones remaining that you actually do value the work and contributions that people make.
    Nov 8, 2019 1
    • New
      🗽fidi

      New

      BIO
      C++ or bust
      🗽fidi
      ❤️
      Nov 8, 2019