>This will almost never be the case. This doesn't account for different share classes, liquidation preferences, preferred stock, all of which get exercised before common shares.
>Equity as an incentive truly favors the employer. With vesting, equity rarely works out to be better than having a market rate salary, unless the company becomes a household name
I've worked at 4 different startups. Two were acquired and two are still going, with one making a small profit and being a lifestyle business for the founder, and the other having a great product and still growing.
For the two acquisitions, one of which I held 1% equity in, the value of my options was $0, which was very disappointing. In that case, I did get a cash bonus as the VP Engineering and an offer from the acquiring company that was 3X my cash comp, but the stock was worthless.
At this point in my career, I value stock in private companies at exactly $0 and treat it like a nice bonus should it ever amount to anything.
>Equity as an incentive truly favors the employer. With vesting, equity rarely works out to be better than having a market rate salary, unless the company becomes a household name
I've worked at 4 different startups. Two were acquired and two are still going, with one making a small profit and being a lifestyle business for the founder, and the other having a great product and still growing.
For the two acquisitions, one of which I held 1% equity in, the value of my options was $0, which was very disappointing. In that case, I did get a cash bonus as the VP Engineering and an offer from the acquiring company that was 3X my cash comp, but the stock was worthless.
At this point in my career, I value stock in private companies at exactly $0 and treat it like a nice bonus should it ever amount to anything.