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equity-structurer skill

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This skill helps structure founder equity, vesting, and employee option plans to align incentives and simplify governance across cycles.

npx playbooks add skill eddiebe147/claude-settings --skill equity-structurer

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SKILL.md
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---
name: Equity Structurer
slug: equity-structurer
description: Structure founder equity, vesting schedules, and employee option plans
category: business
complexity: simple
version: "1.0.0"
author: "ID8Labs"
triggers:
  - "equity structure"
  - "founder equity"
  - "vesting schedule"
  - "stock options"
  - "equity planning"
tags:
  - equity
  - vesting
  - options
  - shares
  - compensation
---

# Equity Structurer

Structure founder equity, vesting schedules, and employee option plans

## When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when you need to:
- Improve business operations and strategy
- Make data-driven business decisions
- Optimize processes and outcomes

**Not recommended for:**
- Tasks requiring creative design work
- technical coding

## Quick Reference

| Action | Command/Trigger |
|--------|-----------------|
| Create equity structurer | `equity structure` |
| Review and optimize | `review equity structurer` |
| Get best practices | `equity structurer best practices` |

## Core Workflows

### Workflow 1: Initial Equity Structurer Creation

**Goal:** Create a high-quality equity structurer from scratch

**Steps:**
1. **Discovery** - Understand requirements and objectives
2. **Planning** - Develop strategy and approach
3. **Execution** - Implement the plan
4. **Review** - Evaluate results and iterate
5. **Optimization** - Refine based on feedback

### Workflow 2: Advanced Equity Structurer Optimization

**Goal:** Refine and optimize existing equity structurer for better results

**Steps:**
1. **Research** - Gather relevant information
2. **Analysis** - Evaluate options and approaches
3. **Decision** - Choose the best path forward
4. **Implementation** - Execute with precision
5. **Measurement** - Track success metrics

## Best Practices

1. **Start with Clear Objectives**
   Define what success looks like before beginning work.

2. **Follow Industry Standards**
   Leverage proven frameworks and best practices in business.

3. **Iterate Based on Feedback**
   Continuously improve based on results and user input.

4. **Document Your Process**
   Keep track of decisions and outcomes for future reference.

5. **Focus on Quality**
   Prioritize excellence over speed, especially in early iterations.

## Checklist

Before considering your work complete:

- [ ] Objectives clearly defined and understood
- [ ] Research and discovery phase completed
- [ ] Strategy or plan documented
- [ ] Implementation matches requirements
- [ ] Quality standards met
- [ ] Stakeholders informed and aligned
- [ ] Results measured against goals
- [ ] Documentation updated
- [ ] Feedback collected
- [ ] Next steps identified

## Common Mistakes

| Mistake | Why It's Bad | Better Approach |
|---------|--------------|-----------------|
| Skipping research | Leads to misaligned solutions | Invest time in understanding context |
| Ignoring best practices | Reinventing the wheel | Study successful examples first |
| No clear metrics | Can't measure success | Define KPIs upfront |

## Integration Points

- **Tools**: Integration with common business platforms and tools
- **Workflows**: Fits into existing business operations workflows
- **Team**: Collaborates with leadership and operations stakeholders

## Success Metrics

Track these metrics to measure effectiveness:
- Quality of output
- Time to completion
- Stakeholder satisfaction
- Impact on business goals
- Reusability of approach

---

*This skill is part of the ID8Labs Skills Marketplace. Last updated: 2026-01-07*

Overview

This skill structures founder equity, vesting schedules, and employee option plans for early-stage and scaling companies. It helps translate business goals into fair equity allocations and practical vesting mechanics that align incentives. Use it to create reproducible, documented equity plans that stakeholders can review and implement.

How this skill works

I gather objectives, company stage, roles, and fundraising expectations, then propose equity splits, vesting schedules, cliffs, and option pool sizing. I evaluate trade-offs—founder dilution, investor expectations, and hiring needs—and produce clear, implementable recommendations and documentation. Outputs include suggested cap table changes, vesting templates, and an action checklist for legal and HR follow-up.

When to use it

  • At company formation to set initial founder splits and vesting
  • Before fundraising to align ownership with investor expectations
  • When hiring key employees or contractors and issuing options
  • During a reorganization, equity refresh, or new hiring plan
  • To document and formalize existing informal equity arrangements

Best practices

  • Define business objectives and success criteria before allocating equity
  • Use standard vesting norms (e.g., 4-year vesting with a 1-year cliff) unless there is a clear reason to deviate
  • Keep an option pool sized for 12–24 months of hiring runway and model dilution scenarios
  • Document every decision and obtain legal review for grant agreements and plan language
  • Iterate equity plans based on feedback from investors, board, and key hires

Example use cases

  • Create an initial founder equity split and vesting schedule at incorporation
  • Design an employee option plan and sample grant letters for the first 10 hires
  • Model cap table outcomes across fundraising rounds and option pool increases
  • Review and optimize an existing vesting schedule to improve retention and reduce unexpected dilution
  • Prepare equity materials for investor due diligence and board review

FAQ

What is a typical vesting schedule for founders and employees?

A common default is four-year vesting with a one-year cliff; founders may also negotiate acceleration clauses for exits or change-of-control events.

How large should the option pool be?

Target an option pool sized to cover hiring needs for the next 12–24 months; adjust based on hiring velocity and planned roles, and model the resulting dilution for founders and investors.