What do startup founders pay themselves?
I’m often asked this question in my work coaching and advising founders and this is a great read from Sifted.
– Average salaries based on round type.
– Average equity held at each round – not salary but this is often a topic of conversation.
– Apparently, founder compensation in the UK is higher than in the rest of Europe.
– The co-founder mix and how it affects founder compensation at each stage.
– Salary by stage vs revenue.
The best takeaway is that founders should be paid based on their circumstances and enough to ensure they can focus on the business if we want start-ups to succeed.
A 20-something with limited outgoings vs a 55-year-old with a mortgage and children is not comparable, is it?
Yet, we seem to try and put every founder in the same box, regardless of the stage of life, experience and value.
