oDesk

Don't divide a pie that may never get baked

Joining oDesk (now Upwork) before it could pay him, Chicola worried about negotiating equity. A VC mentor told him to just work and demonstrate value first, because the information was asymmetric. When they finally had the equity talk three months later, both walked in with the same number in their heads.

“A lot of people want to spend a lot of time— to use a different phrase, you know, dividing a pie that may never get baked. And sometimes you want to start baking the pie and figure out a little later how to divide it up.”

Steal thisDemonstrate value first, then negotiate equity once the founder can't imagine doing it without you.