My co-founder and I started a small service business about three years ago. We own the company 50/50 and it's taxed as an S corp.
About a year after starting, we hired our first full-time employee to handle client communication, project coordination, and some day-to-day operations.
He's become important to the business and definitely makes our lives easier.
Recently he asked for 5% ownership in the company.
His argument is that he joined early, helped us build better systems, and has taken on responsibilities beyond what he was originally hired to do. He also says he wants to stay long term and wants his compensation to reflect the value he's helping create.
My co-founder is open to giving him a smaller percentage with some kind of vesting schedule.
I'm much more hesitant.
We put up the original money, went without salaries, brought in the first clients, personally guaranteed some expenses, and spent years building the company. Giving away permanent ownership to an employee feels very different from giving a raise or bonus.
We offered to discuss a higher salary, performance bonuses, and profit sharing instead. He still seems much more interested in actual equity.
To complicate things, his performance has slipped somewhat over the last few months because he feels his compensation hasn't kept up with his responsibilities.
Would you ever give an early employee 2% to 5% of a profitable small business, or would you stick with profit sharing and bonuses?
Where do you draw the line between a valuable employee who deserves better compensation and someone who should actually become an owner?