The Slicing Pie Handbook by Mike Moyer is a must-read for founders navigating early stage equity splits.
This book offers a practical, fair approach to dividing ownership in early-stage, bootstrapped startups. It’s especially helpful when you’re facing tough decisions about who gets what percentage of your business and why.
One of the key highlights of this book is the Slicing Pie model. This framework allows cofounders to allocate equity based on actual contributions, whether it’s time, cash, or resources.
It helps avoid the typical pitfalls that come with rigid, predefined equity splits, giving you a more flexible and equitable method for growth.
The book also provides a solution for startups that already have a fixed equity split in place. The “retrofit” guide can help you rework those early decisions and ensure a more fair distribution as your business evolves. This makes the book invaluable for those looking to right the wrongs of initial equity agreements.
In addition to equity allocation, Moyer covers the complexities of recovery when someone leaves your company. This is crucial for maintaining fairness and avoiding conflict down the road. The model helps you recover equity based on contributions, ensuring that no one takes more than their fair share.
Finally, The Slicing Pie Handbook doesn’t leave you hanging with just theory. It includes practical tips for implementation, including a handy tool called the Pie Slicer software. This makes it easier to apply the principles of the book directly to your business, helping you maintain fairness as you scale your startup.
Reading The Slicing Pie Handbook by Mike Moyer teaches us entrepreneurs:
- Fair Equity Allocation: Understand how to divide ownership based on actual contributions, ensuring fairness for everyone involved in your startup.
- Flexibility in Ownership: Learn how to adjust equity splits as your business grows, adapting to changing contributions without rigid agreements.
- Equity Recovery: Discover how to handle equity when team members leave, ensuring that no one takes more than their fair share.
- Practical Implementation: Gain practical tools, like the Pie Slicer software, to help you implement fair equity distribution in your business.
- Building Trust with Team Members: Foster transparency and trust by using a system that reflects everyone’s value and contribution to the company’s success.
About The Slicing Pie Handbook Author, Mike Moyer
Mike Moyer is an experienced entrepreneur who has founded several companies across various industries.
His ventures include Bananagraphics, Moondog, and Cappex.com, among others. These businesses span product development, outdoor clothing, marketing technology, and college admissions, showcasing his diverse entrepreneurial skill set.
In addition to his entrepreneurial background, Mike has held senior marketing positions at companies selling products ranging from vacuum cleaners to luxury wine.
His wide-ranging experience gives him unique insights into both the practical and strategic sides of business. Mike has also taught entrepreneurship at prestigious institutions such as Northwestern University and the University of Chicago.
Mike is the author of multiple books, including Slicing Pie and How to Make Colleges Want You. He holds an MS in integrated marketing from Northwestern University and an MBA from the University of Chicago. Mike resides in Lake Forest, Illinois, with his wife, two kids, and their pet Lizard of Oz.