Author: Deano

It's dead simple: 100% of nothing is nothing. 10% of Google is more than you can spend in ten lifetimes.

When in doubt, split everything evenly between cofounders at your first startup. Giving it any more thought is a waste of time.

Don't lose an A player to haggling, and settle for a B or C who meets your terms. Fractional millions is a win in any record book, and you have a product to roll out, and competition that doesn't sleep, has spies in your organization, and knows what you look like naked.

Worst case scenario, you revel in all the stories you'll be able to tell people about how my Quora answer screwed you and got you kicked out of your own bazillion dollar company. Then order another $400 bottle of wine from the oceanside restaurant your yacht has pulled in to, before retiring to your 800 thread count sheets so you can cry truffle-scented tears into your duckling-feather pillows.

On a more serious note – if you've already put in a ton of time and effort, make sure that shows up in the vesting. 50% with a vesting advantage at least gives you solid control for a few years, or until an investor takes interest.

For the record, I also recommend a four year vest with no cliff – just 1/48th of their total share each month for each cofounder, starting from the moment they sign on board. To me, the one year cliff is just laziness – why would you hold on to someone who wasn't working out for a WHOLE YEAR? From the opposite side, why work for a vaporware company for a year with potentially zero return?Think about it…

How much equity should you give a CEO/Business Manager at a startup which has already started making some money?

While it's a newer site compared to things like Plancast.com or Meetup.com, you might try posting your question at http://www.quora.com, there are lots of helpful people on there generally, but the core group of regular users seem to be largely SF/SV-based tech entrepreneurs. 
 
By asking your question on quora you will most likely receive several well-researched and well-meaning answers, as well as uncover specific quora users who, by virtue of their responding to your query about making connections, will most likely themselves be interested (or at least open) to meeting a fresh-faced startup newbie, and introducing them to their favorite events/people in the area.

Good luck and welcome!

What's are some great ways to make tech and startup connections?

While we claim to enjoy our "hidden gem" status, I do highly recommend Alameda as a great place to live if working in SF. The options for travel (Bus, Bus+BART, Car, Ferry) allow you to compensate for many types of traffic issues, including total Bay Bridge shutdowns (happened during a bomb threat a few years back… 300 people on the ferry WAS a bit much, but we still zoomed across the water in 20 minutes).

The neighborhoods vary from very reasonable to quite expensive, but there are many options up and down the rent/own ladder, and thus also a very interesting mix of individuals and families of all races/ethnicities/ages. 

There are two "downtown" areas with major shopping centers/service providers, a big mall, a beach and nature preserve facing the bay (great kite boarding I hear). Very pet and child friendly town and businesses. A great modern library (not open nearly enough). A movie theater that never should've been built, but still provides a nice option to see a first run movie with little risk of a packed auditorium. 😉

There are several niche/boutique bars, including the famous Forbidden Island Tiki Lounge… But nightlife on the island leaves a bit to be desired most nights. Still, if you want to go out, you hop in your car, and in 25 minutes or so you're parked at the 5th and Mission garage. Extrapolate from there… 

On the East Bay side, you're a quick drive/bus ride to downtown Oakland, with a fairly hopping scene there, shopping and dining options in Jack London Square, Emeryville, and even Berkeley. All within a 30 minute radius (with "normal" traffic). 

Lots of "big box" shopping (Home Depot, WalMart, CostCo, etc) to the south on the 880… And again in light traffic, you can start to hit Santa Clara/San Jose in 45-55mins.

Overall, Alameda is a great place for a married couple, especially if you're pondering a child or pet. All the excitement of the city is a half hour away, but things are nice and quiet and even reasonably clean… It's like a cheaper version of the Richmond or Sunset districts, maybe. And the bridge/tunnel access does seem to have a distinct effect in lowering the overall crime rate.

On the downside, there's still a very "townie element" to the place, especially in government administration and the older more established businesses. The perceived corruption level at the mayoral/town council level is pretty high. Most of the time, that's not really going to matter to you, but it does mean that at every decisive juncture, where Alameda could possibly take some innovative/leadership role in city planning/green tech/urban renewal/etc, they're likely going to mysteriously vote against progress at the last minute for reasons that are not entirely clear. Not to get too sensational, but we still have no idea why the mayor two terms ago committed suicide… That investigation went by pretty darn quick.

And with that, you have the basics… Surrounding communities are also pretty decent – Oakland is grimier and crimier for a similar price point (or downright dangerous for not much cheaper), San Leandro and Hayward are snoozefests, Emeryville is the little-1-square-mile-postage-stamp-that-could, and if you can't stand being more than walking distance to Ikea, is probably your best bet. Berkeley is pricey, filled with crazy hippies turned crazy conservatives, and most of the town closes at 6pm, on the two and a half days a week the worker-collective-owners allow the shops to open. 😉 Richmond is… occasionally in the news for reasons I don't even want to think about.

Really, Alameda is just plain awesome. But Shhhh! Don't tell anyone I told you!

Where is the best value for housing within a 30-45 minute commute of San Francisco?

If they are white, and you can say it without laughing, "Bay Arean".

Otherwise, the proper term is "Flakey".

What do you call someone from the San Francisco Bay Area?