The Internal Vendor: Stop Asking for a Raise and Start Renegotiating Your Retainer
In the luxury retail world, Chanel does not apologize when they raise the price of a handbag by 15%. They do not justify it by complaining about the cost of leather or electricity. They justify it by presenting the item as an appreciating asset. Yet, most professionals negotiate their salaries like children asking for an […]
The Liquidity Illusion: A Financial Auditor’s Guide to Equity Compensation
In Q4 of last year, I consulted for a CTO who “lost” $3 million. He didn’t lose it in the market; he lost it because he failed to audit the fine print of his offer letter. He had accepted a below-market base salary in exchange for aggressive stock options. On paper, he was wealthy. In […]
The Corporate Pre-Nup: Negotiating Your Severance Before Day One
It feels unromantic to discuss divorce on the first date. But in the corporate world, the average tenure for a senior role is now just 18 months. You will leave this job. The only variable is how. I have sat across the table from hundreds of employees during exit interviews. I have seen the devastation […]