Real people, real comments! Really!

My Equity Plan Using the Grunt Fund

After spending Friday night reading Slicing Pie and talking to people using the Grunt Fund, today I presented my two possible co-founders with my equity plan using the Grunt Fund and… I’m actually quite surprised at how well it was received! Not only that, but it forced us into necessary conversations about the direction, stability, and roles of our company that we found very fruitful.

Alec Matias

Godsend

Thank you so much for this framework! It's been a Godsend!

Karl Miller
Product Manager

So Much Easier!

You make life for an entrepreneur so much easier...Dynamic Equity Splits should have been part of my education as a designer years ago.

Frederik van Heereveld
Founder, FEEKSPACE

You Are Amazing!

I've had dozens of Slicing Pie discussions in recent years - maybe a hundred. Thank you for what you do. You are amazing.

Will Patton
CTO

The Grunt Fund is the Cleanest

The Grunt Fund is the cleanest, clearest way to get any project off the ground. It’s easily understandable and cuts through the legal haze that can plague startups.

Brian Krohn
Entrepreneur In Residence at Modern Logic

Fantastic!

I always had issues with fixed split startups, where founders arbitrarily decided how much equity to keep and how much to give away. Slicing Pie is the fairest model I’ve come across and it’s a fantastic way to build momentum before any rounds of funding.

Robbie Maltby
Founder, Pure Earth

I am not afraid to go into business with my best friend!

With this method, I am not afraid to go into business with my best friend and worry about losing our friendship over some equity disagreement.

Alex Mitchen
Founder, GLODIGAPP Mentors

Loved the concept!

I really enjoyed the book, loved the concept and also the style in how you wrote it. Will recommend to others!

Patrick Mineer
Founder

I Feel Much More Knowledgeable and Confident

One of the most impressive aspects of Mike’s book is his accounting for the many different scenarios that can occur when partnering-up to start a company. The Excel docs available on his website allowed me to go right into a practical application of what was read. I am meeting with a potential partner/investor this week. As a result of reading the book I feel much more knowledgeable and confident, not just about the meeting, the potential for the business as well.

Tom McDonald
Car Logik

Great Book and Well done on Slicing Pie

Just wanted to say well done on Slicing Pie, seriously great book! I’ve read lots of books on business and entrepreneurship, about 1 every 2 weeks for 15 years. Yours is one of the best, just wanted to let you know.

Chris Rolls
Entrepreneur, Investor, Adventurer

I Love This Book!

I love this book! It really removes the anxiety and friction of deciding who gets what in a startup, regardless of the level of effort involved, so that you can focus on what matters most in a cooperative manner!

Jonathan Wheeler
Founder

Everyone Should Do This!

Love it. Makes total sense. I’ve seen so many contentious disputes arise from equity splits with both new and semi-mature companies that so often stem from disagreements about contribution and expectations - dynamic splits are an elegant solution. Everyone should do this!

Eric Liu
Founder

Could Have Potentially Saved Me a Headache

I am a fan of your formula and could have potentially saved me a headache from a part time cofounder that recently left and now having some issues on that front. Also was never a fan of the equity split and purely vested over time because you don't really have to 'earn' that equity just sit there over time and let it vest. I am spreading this stuff to as many people as I can as I think this is the most equitable thing I have come across to reflect contributions to a startups success.

Castleigh Johnson
Founder

A Grunt Fund is the Way to Go!

Loved the book! Just started a business with a partner and now we know what to do! My partner and I agreed to a 50/50 split when we started. We read your book and now know a grunt fund is the way to go for us. And, we are planning to bring other grunts on board in the next couple months.

James Eisenlohr
Founder

Amazing Service to the World.

Just bought your book and am fascinated by it. You've done an amazing service to the world for putting this out there. Thank you.

Adrian Patel
VP of Product

Love, Love, Love

I love, love, love your concepts and how well you’ve laid them out on the table. I’m re-structuring my start-up after I’ve been working on it for 1.5 years.

Alison Morgan
Founder - Narkal.com

Thanks for a great presentation.

Knowing that Slicing Pie might be able to protect our investments and our kids’ dreams, to me, makes a lot of sense, no matter how immediately close or distant you may be to start up today. Cannot tell you how many times I have recommended his method to people involved in new ventures.

Steve Gladis
Executive Coach, Author, and Speaker

This is an Amazing Resource

I haven't been able to put the book down. I'm an idea guy, and I've always been a little leery of working with people to help develop them for the equity question. I'm currently working on my very first start up, and I'm anxious to share this with my partner. This is an amazing resource for a guy like myself, and I'm looking forward to using this a guiding light to help avoid some pitfalls for any company I start in the future. Thank you again for this book. I don't think there's one thing I learned in college more important than the contents of your book.

Cliff Perez
Commercial Property Manager

Completely Awesome Book.

Just watched your Stanford lecture and read the book, you completely convinced me this is the way to go. I was anxious about being a solo founder and giving away equity blindly when finding people; you completely fixed that. Thank you!

Akshaj Jois
Medical Device Startup Founder

I wish I could have found it earlier!

Thank you for your Slicing Pie methodology! I wish I could have found it earlier. I did a handshake agreement that led me to dissolved my startup, a lot of pain went into that, as I was also dissolving all my work. Today I am starting my new venture with a fair model!

Erika Reyes
Founder

Your model is rocking in my country (Spain) and I bet it will do it on the entire startup ecosystem in a few years.

Álvaro Castro
CEO/Founder

A Masterpiece!

Thanks so much for writing this book - it is a masterpiece of clarity and common sense!

Adam Waterhouse
Founder

Sigh...

I wish I had read this before I had fallen prey to a 1-year cliff deal. Founders changed their minds half year in and all I got was the iMac they paid half for. *sigh*

Stephen Starkey
Senior Software Engineer

Your Work is Fantastic!

I must say, your work is fantastic. I use the Slicing Pie model with my students (and in my own ventures) with regularity. Bravo sir!

Thomas Pittz
Executive Director, United States Association of Small Business and Entrepreneurship

OMG I think I love you

Read about you in Start Start Up yesterday, bought the book, downloaded the calculator, signed up to trial [Harvest] ] (LOVE IT!) and am listening to your podcast. OMG I think I love you. Reading the concept, applying it to a friends current small business that is using a very funky retail strategy to empower women & promote & develop skills development, particularly in indigenous communities. We have been tortured by the last piece to fall into place – how to value sweat equity. YOU are a gift from the Universe and I am so grateful I found you. I love the values that are evident behind what you do. Your mission to embed this model as your own life reward was powerful – more strength to your arm : ) I will do what I can to promote it for you. It is just so right. respectfully, Antoinette PS You are a very relatable fella, your writing has great clarity and your pod cast gave a very good sense of who you are and where you are coming from.

Antoinette Danaher
Marketing

You're a Genius.

You’re a genius. I cannot tell you how refreshing it is to see an approach centered on fairness and transparency.

Scott Guthrie
Founder

We Haven't Been Able to Break It!

We use a Grunt Fund for our company Magic Wizard LLC. The Grunt Fund allowed us to save a ton of legal costs and on board people quickly. We currently have 12 engineers and marketers working on the project in their spare time. We have everything from VPs in marketing for a $55MM company and senior engineers to first year undergrads who just want to help. The Grunt Fund has made all that possible by easily on boarding and faith sharing equity. Magic Wizard is also our own experiment in how robust the Grunt Fund is, our motto is "Break the Grunt Fund!" So far, by appropriately following the rules, we haven’t been able to break it!

Brian Krohn, PhD
Magic Wizard Staff

I Got Rid of My Partner

We have met last April at a workshop you gave in Brussels. I was at an all-time low at the time, having big issues with my then co-founder. You helped me see clear I needed to get rid of him asap. Which I did and am very happy about now. Thank you, I felt that even for that brief moment you were very focused on my need and helped me.

Bert Cattoor
Founder

I’m so Excited to Learn More

I was at Start Houston last night when you presented. I thought it was absolutely great. So much so, I went to Amazon and ordered your book while I watched. You touched a very sensitive subject for me. In the past I avoided involving others in my projects because I didn’t know how to split equity in a way that I felt was fair to me. More than one of these had potential, but they were bigger than myself and I could have done more if I had help. More recently, the dread of the equity split actually prevented me from starting a project altogether. The grunt fund gives me the clear and fair solution to that problem. I’m so excited to learn more.

Joel Escobar

You Guys Are Amazing!

You guys are amazing! Super appreciate and will add great customer service to my recommendations!

Robert Buehrig
CEO and Founder

Great work!!! Thanks!!!

The key value I think you deliver here for startup founders and workers, in the context of human relationships, is transparency. All humans want to fed two things to be happy; safety and control. This approach, as you lay it out clearly, achieves that for all involved. Great work!!! Thanks!!!

Roger Toennis
Senior Director of Research/Advisory, Gartner for Tech CEOs

Big Success!

Mike – thank you so much for presenting today! It was a big success, lots of questions were asked, and people were very interested in learning more. In fact, I had one person tell me they already bought the book within the first 10 minutes and another person ask if you’d be willing to speak at their Meet Up for Milwaukee entrepreneurs!

Ann White
Senior Associate Director, Career & Affinity Programs

I'll Do it Right This Time

Your book is an amazing eye-opener and tool! I wish I had had this knowledge 15 years ago when I (poorly) negotiated my first equity deal. I'm working on a new startup now and will be negotiating equity slices soon with a tech co-founder and investors. I'm going to do it right this time.

Not a single person I've talked to is happy with their current equity status or deal. This book is the answer. It's just plain common sense.

Doran Pratte
Founder - Routopie

It Clarified So Much!

Loved the book. It clarified so much of the tension I've felt in the past and gave me new language/vision for the future. Thank YOU!

Aaron Van Ruler
Founder

I Thoroughly Enjoyed Reading This Book

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and look forward to implementing the strategy. This book has provided the exact strategy that I was looking for. For me, this concept is like business crack…I can’t get enough! Just passed your information onto one of my clients. Fun, fun, fun!

Erica Lane

A Must Read for All Startup Companies!

Great Book! This is a must read for all startup companies and its founders. It is a quick read that outlines a simple process to get your business started even if you don’t have a lot of cash.

Beeso Studio will recommend this books to all of the startups that we work with moving forward!

Shane Sullivan
Founder

Slicing Pie, Simply Put Saved My Company

Slicing Pie, simply put saved my company.

Evan Moon

Loved It!

Loved it. Quite possibly changed my life

Joshua Pittman

Spread To The World About The book

This makes me happy about going into business. I truly believe this is how all businesses should be run. I’ll do whatever I can to spread the word about your book!

Joseph Tuchman
Explore, Dream, Discover

I Wish I Found Your Book Sooner!

I wish I found your book sooner! Thank you for putting together these complex concepts in such a simple way!

Alex Mitchen
Founder, GLODIGAPP Mentors

Slicing Pie is a Game Changer

We absolutely love Slicing Pie and will never even think about going back to the old school way of equity splits. Thanks again for such a great idea and product. It is a game changer for entrepreneurs.

Bruce Hymas
Founder

This Should Be the Standard!

The more I think about Slicing Pie, even beyond start up contracts, the more excited I get! Just to think how many problems would be solved with an approach like this...so much less likely to breed resentment, so much more reasonable. This should be the standard! I might start buying your book as holiday gifts for all the lawyers I know :)

Heather Leaver-Spear
Founder - NORC

Slicing Pie is Brilliant!

Slicing Pie is brilliant! You’ve cracked the code on a big problem for startups. I read this just in time!

Dave Linhardt

Everyone Loves the Book!

We had a nightmare that involved a shareholder who held a sizable portion of the company, and there was no buyout clause on his shares. We ended up paying way more than we should have to get his shares back.

We’ve since bought copies of Slicing Pie for all of the people who work at Lunar Giant. I’m happy to say that not only does everyone love the book, but our productivity has gone way up because there are no longer questions of “who gets what” lingering in our minds.

Jay Margalus
Faculty Director DePaul University's

Changed My Life

Slicing Pie changed. my. life.

Kadir Uyanik
Founder

Great Book and a Cool Calculator Too

Great book… and a cool calculator too. You should be charging $500 bucks for this! The insight alone is worth ten times that.

David Worrell
Charlotte Finance and Accounting Expert

Slicing Pie Concept Has Opened Up Huge Possibilities

Slicing Pie and it’s Grunt Fund concept has opened up huge possibilities and fueled my urgency to take this venture nationwide as I now know how I’m going overcome time and money challenges.

Jade Handy
Serial Entrepreneur, Consultant, Trainer & Coach

Freaking Brilliant

Great job on the model. It's freaking brilliant.

Greg Zen
Founder

Thank You So Much

Thank you so much for tonight’s presentation on Slicing Pie. Your knowledge, understanding, and passion for the topic really came through. Equity has always been such a point of anxiety for me and your presentation tonight has completely alleviated all of that. I can’t believe this is the first I’ve heard of this methodology. I am so relieved and grateful that I went to your presentation tonight before making a handshake fixed split equity deal with my future partners…and think they will be grateful as well.

Greg Carlson
Founder

Amazing!

Your Slicing Pie session last week was amazing, you really opened my eyes when it comes to equity!

Marc Thibodeau
Founder

Avoiding the Alligator Pit!

Your book has been so so helpful and it came in timely, just when I and my teammates were about to go down to the Alligators Pit! Since I took up the book, it's been worth every second of my time.

Glory Amadife
Founder

Die Hard Fan

I am die hard fan of Slicing Pie. I have started three start-ups with static equity and it was a disaster as I felt I was not being well compensated. But after implementing it, the story changed.

Elisha Bwatuti
Founder - Dirtio

I refer people to your book at least once a week

In the work I do I refer people to your book at least once a week. Thanks for putting it out, it has clearly solved a need.

Cy Megnin
Entrepreneur in Residence and Ecosystem Builder at Elevate Ventures

Love at First Sight!

What an awesome concept and tool! Love at first sight! Would have saved many issues and wasted time if I’d have known it before …

Stevijn de Jong

The Book Makes a Lot of Sense

I wanted to personally thank you for writing “Slicing Pie” (just read it). I’m a young entrepreneur with several start-ups under my belt, and I’ve always struggled with the pre-revenue equity allocation. I’m struggling with it right now actually! Your book makes A LOT of sense to me, and I’m excited to start using the Grunt Fund in one of my current start-ups. So thank you again for being an inspirational author!

Ali Jafarian
Serial Entrepreneur & Software Engineer

Fantastic

Fantastic write up and a very good dissection of the issues. Thanks for all your work on Slicing Pie. Your contributions to the startup world is fathomless. Thank you

Joe McEnteer

Blown Away

The simplicity of this model has blown me away. It completely eliminates the stress of considering the fairness among owners!

Ed Dewsnap
Head Grunt

I Read Slicing Pie and I Thought it was Fantastic!

I just wanted to let you know I read Slicing Pie and I thought it was fantastic! Thank you so much for writing such a comprehensive and easy to digest book on the subject – the best part about it is that it’s focused on being fair and I think that’s the most important thing.

Bhavik Trivedi
Director,

Everyone Feels Respected and Taken Care Of

Slicing pie is the book I desperately needed to ensure that the friends I was starting a business with would remain my friends. It gives you the perfect formulas for fairly splitting your equity in a way that everyone feels respected and taken care of. A must read for all start ups!!

Jonny Wilson

Fantastic!

Mike, your book is fantastic! The Handbook you shared was so engaging that I read it one go!

Rashmeet Sangari
Founder

Great Book!

Great book! I feel like a weight has been lifted off of my chest. Because of the Slicing Pie book, I can focus on building my business without the hassle of worrying about equity amongst my partners.

Nikora Philip Anderson
Founder

Incredible Book!

Thank you for your incredible book! Slicing Pie irrevocably changed my attitude to the early stage startup shares distribution.

Andrew Sholokhovich
Founder

Slicing Pie Is The Answer We Were Looking For

Awesome book. I’ve been working on starting a startup together with a friend but we’ve never found a fair way to track our contributions (so we’ve been avoiding the topic). Slicing Pie is the answer we were looking for.

Rico Trevisan
Agile Coach / Broadband Enthusiast

Thank You for Creating Simple System and Sharing It

I’m sure you get a million of these a day, but I just wanted to write you and personally thank you for creating this simple system and sharing it. I can’t tell you the heartache that I’ve gone through, loosing a business partner and best friend to the evils of a poorly thought out equity spit. Never again!

Stu Waters
Marketing Manager

You Guys Are Awesome!

I can’t thank you enough for the program, I recommend it to all the startup founders asking for tips on how to split equity shares. You guys are awesome. Thanks so much for your help!

Robert Buehrig
CEO and Founder

Seriously Changed My Life!

Thank you for writing the book! Seriously has changed my life for the better. Having worked with Start-ups for a few years now I feel like a giant elephant just got off my back.

Alesha Bishop
Education Professional

Everyone Did Their Part

Thanks for your books and articles on Slicing Pie. Our bootstrapped startup is just taking off now after a few years. I can't imagine how complicated things would have gotten if we'd have gone with a traditional Fix & Fight model. We've had so many people come and go, and everyone did their part and deserves to profit accordingly. And now they will!

Matt Janssen
Founder - Print A Thing

Fantastic Resource

This is such a fantastic resource. Solve the problems before they become a killer!

Farshid Ghasemi
Founder

Genius.

You’re a genius.

Mike Wilson

It is as good as my friend said!

Thank you for your book. It is as good as my friend said. The sustainability of fairness and trust is at the core of my personal outlook on life and your book.

John Mickey
Founder - Factory Reality

This Fantastic Book

Mike, I just want to say a heart felt thank you for the deep work you’ve done to bring out this fantastic book. I attended a Finance Roundtable at UofC, heard your talk, and am not looking back. When I read the book, I felt like I was reading my future in the pages and I hope to distribute many many copies in the years to come.

Making workable partnership agreements is a subject I’ve wrestled with for years. I feel this is a simple and profound solution and, for the first time, confident to jump in. I’m retrofitting my current 50/50 and looking forward to seeing smoother and more productive collaborations in the future.

Joshua Ginter
Account Manager at Debut Infotech Pvt Ltd

Hundreds More on Amazon.com!

Slicing Pie is a highly-rated book on Amazon sites all over the world.

See Amazon.com Reviews lorem ipsum dolor

My Equity Plan Using the Grunt Fund

Godsend

So Much Easier!

You Are Amazing!

The Grunt Fund is the Cleanest

Fantastic!

I am not afraid to go into business with my best friend!

Loved the concept!

I Feel Much More Knowledgeable and Confident

Great Book and Well done on Slicing Pie

I Love This Book!

Everyone Should Do This!

Could Have Potentially Saved Me a Headache

A Grunt Fund is the Way to Go!

Amazing Service to the World.

Love, Love, Love

Thanks for a great presentation.

This is an Amazing Resource

Completely Awesome Book.

I wish I could have found it earlier!

A Masterpiece!

Sigh...

Your Work is Fantastic!

OMG I think I love you

You're a Genius.

We Haven't Been Able to Break It!

I Got Rid of My Partner

I’m so Excited to Learn More

You Guys Are Amazing!

Great work!!! Thanks!!!

Big Success!

I'll Do it Right This Time

It Clarified So Much!

I Thoroughly Enjoyed Reading This Book

A Must Read for All Startup Companies!

Slicing Pie, Simply Put Saved My Company

Loved It!

Spread To The World About The book

I Wish I Found Your Book Sooner!

Slicing Pie is a Game Changer

This Should Be the Standard!

Slicing Pie is Brilliant!

Everyone Loves the Book!

Changed My Life

Great Book and a Cool Calculator Too

Slicing Pie Concept Has Opened Up Huge Possibilities

Freaking Brilliant

Thank You So Much

Amazing!

Avoiding the Alligator Pit!

Die Hard Fan

I refer people to your book at least once a week

Love at First Sight!

The Book Makes a Lot of Sense

Fantastic

Blown Away

I Read Slicing Pie and I Thought it was Fantastic!

Everyone Feels Respected and Taken Care Of

Fantastic!

Great Book!

Incredible Book!

Slicing Pie Is The Answer We Were Looking For

Thank You for Creating Simple System and Sharing It

You Guys Are Awesome!

Seriously Changed My Life!

Everyone Did Their Part

Fantastic Resource

Genius.

It is as good as my friend said!

This Fantastic Book

Hundreds More on Amazon.com!

S﻿ubscribe﻿ to download a FREE Sample of Slicing Pie!

Subscribe to download a FREE Sample of Slicing Pie!