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Re:The Open Guide to Equity Compensation by aetherson on Monday April 14, 2025 @10:00AM (#43681373)
I'm honestly stunned that people here are performatively math-illiterate.

Some companies experience liquidity events. Therefor the value of equity in those companies is positive. Some companies go out of business. Therefor the value of equity in those companies is zero.

If N is the ante hoc chance that a company will experience a liquidity event, then:

N * X + (1 - N) * 0 = value of liquidity

X is positive. 0 < N < 1.

Therefor the value is positive.

Re:The Open Guide to Equity Compensation by dcow on Monday April 14, 2025 @11:27AM (#43682362)
People aren’t saying the chance is literally zero. They are saying it is low enough that they can’t consider it reliable comp for income purposes in their own personal situations. I can’t say my experience has been any different so I don’t blame them. People commenting aren’t math illiterate. I’m kinda amazed you are taking things so literally when it’s so obvious to anybody reading how to interpret the discussion.
Re:The Open Guide to Equity Compensation by aetherson on Monday April 14, 2025 @03:24PM (#43685163)
They sure are insistent on it being literally zero for people who don't think it's literally zero.

If you like, I'm happy to update my claim to, "startup equity often has non-trivial value, say, >$1000 per year."

Re:The Open Guide to Equity Compensation by dcow on Monday April 14, 2025 @07:48PM (#43687524)
Add a few zeros and I think we’d be in the right ballpark. You have to make up for the haircut before you start counting positive net value.
Re:The Open Guide to Equity Compensation by scarface_74 on Monday April 14, 2025 @12:08PM (#43682841)
And then take into account the risk/reward premium and alternatives.
Re:The Open Guide to Equity Compensation by guappa on Tuesday April 15, 2025 @02:18AM (#43689552)
I hoped you had some real data, but all you had was a joke.

Ok it's not zero. Is it 0.0000000000000000000000001?

Surely you're aware that obtaining 0.50$ is not going to have a large impact? Even if the sum is 3000$ the impact is extremely limited.

But you had to go and be a r/iamverysmart material because you actually have no more information than me.

Also learn to spell therefore please.

Re:The Open Guide to Equity Compensation by aetherson on Tuesday April 15, 2025 @09:37AM (#43692508)
You played a stupid game, you won a stupid prize.

Something is different than nothing. When people repeatedly insist that something and nothing are the same, they get trivial answers.

And learn which side of the digits a dollar sign goes on please.