This message was posted by a user wishing to remain anonymous
Thanks for sharing these insights! I really like the idea of using simple visuals and the pie analogy for vesting and cliffs. I think that will make these concepts much easier to grasp.
The approach with pre-reads, a live session, and time for questions sounds spot on. I'll definitely be using these strategies when we talk to our team.
Looking forward to checking out your article too!
Original Message:
Sent: 07-22-2025 15:49
From: Robyn Shutak
Subject: How do you explain equity grants to new employees?
Hi! This is such a pivotal moment for new team members, and getting it right can go a long way toward building excitement and trust.
We've found a combo of pre-reads and a live walkthrough works best. Ahead of time, we like to send a super simple one-pager that covers the basics, what the grant is, how vesting works, what a strike price means (if options), and why it's valuable. Try to keep it plain-language and visual-no legalese or walls of text. Even a short video works great if you're up for it.
Then, we do a live session, ideally in a small group, where people can ask questions in real time.
For tricky concepts like cliffs or strike price, analogies go a long way. For example:
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Vesting = earning slices of a pie over time.
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Cliff = you don't get any pie until you've stayed for a year, then a big first slice drops.
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Strike price = it's like locking in a deal today to buy shares at today's price, even if they go up later.
We also like to wrap the convo in context-why equity matters here, how the company thinks about ownership, and what growth could mean for them personally. It turns a dry topic into something inspiring.
Here is an article I recently wrote on this topic:
Original Message:
Sent: 7/21/2025 2:21:00 PM
From: Anonymous Member
Subject: How do you explain equity grants to new employees?
This message was posted by a user wishing to remain anonymous
We're about to issue our first equity grants to a new cohort of team members, and I'm realizing it's not always straightforward for folks who haven't seen this before.
For those of you who have been through this:
- How do you typically walk employees through their grant?
- Do you send anything ahead of time or just talk through the basics live?
- Anything you've found helpful when explaining things like vesting, cliffs, or strike price?
Would appreciate any advice or examples. Just trying to make sure people feel informed and not overwhelmed.
Thanks in advance.