Cap tables, dilution, and equity — explained for Day 1.
50 posts and counting — the questions Carta and Pulley write for growing companies, answered for founders who are just getting started.
Opening Your Cap Table: Why Founder Transparency Builds Culture
Should I share my cap table with my employees and investors? What are the benefits and risks of cap table transparency? Here's exactly how it works.
Aug 30, 2026
Building an Equity Culture: How Great Founders Align Team Around Ownership
How can I build an equity culture at my startup? How do I get my team focused on long-term ownership and success? Here's exactly how it works.
Aug 30, 2026
Transfer Agent + Cap Table: How They Work Together (Pre-IPO Prep)
What is a transfer agent and how do they relate to my cap table? Do I need a transfer agent for my startup? Here's exactly how it works.
Aug 29, 2026
Cap Table Documentation: Building an Audit-Ready Paper Trail
What cap table documentation do I need to keep? How do I maintain an audit trail for my equity grants? Here's exactly how it works.
Aug 29, 2026
From Day 1 Cap Table to Exit: Tracking Founder Ownership Through Growth
How much will I make in a startup exit based on my cap table ownership? What is a typical founder payout at exit? Here's exactly how it works.
Aug 28, 2026
IPO-Ready Cap Table: The Compliance Checklist for Going Public
What cap table requirements do IPOs have? How do I prepare my cap table for going public? We break down exactly how it works, step by step.
Aug 28, 2026
Founder Equity Mistakes: 5 Real Stories (And How Much They Cost)
What are the biggest equity mistakes founders make? What are real examples of founder equity errors and their costs? Here's exactly how it works.
Aug 27, 2026
The $500K Cap Table Mistake: What Happened (+ How to Avoid It)
What are the most costly cap table mistakes founders make? How can I avoid expensive cap table errors? Here's exactly how it works.
Aug 27, 2026
Shareholder Agreements Explained: What Terms Actually Protect Founders?
What is a shareholders agreement and what should it include to protect founders? We break down exactly how it works, step by step.
Aug 26, 2026Which cap table topic should founders read first?
Start with whatever decision is closest. Founders setting up equity read dilution and option pools first; anyone holding a signed offer starts with vesting and tax; a live fundraise or an exit pulls in term sheets and waterfalls. The archive below is grouped so you can jump straight to your stage.
- Setting up: founder splits, option pool sizing, and what a first round does to ownership.
- Holding equity: vesting, exercise windows, and the tax that lands when you exercise or sell.
- Raising or exiting: term sheet protections, down rounds, diligence packages, and payout modelling.
Advanced Structures
AI & Automation Features
Compliance & Automation
- Cap Table Documentation: Building an Audit-Ready Paper Trail
- AI Compliance Audits Your Cap Table: Catch Errors Before Investors Do
- Founder Restricted Stock Purchase Agreement: Template + Explanation
- ASC 718 Stock Compensation Accounting: For Founders (Not Just CPAs)
- The 83(b) Election Deadline: Your 30-Day Window (And Why Missing It Costs You Thousands)
- 409A Valuation Deadlines: Never Miss the Compliance Date Again (Auto-Tracking)
Compliance & IPO Readiness
Culture & Leadership
Employee Experience & Retention
- Founder Vesting: Should You Vest Your Own Equity? (When + Why)
- Employee Option Exercise Guide: A Founder's Template for Explaining the Process
- Explain Vesting to Your Employees: Templates + Scenarios (+ Why Transparency Retains Talent)
- Does Equity Actually Retain Employees? (The Data + How Lovie Optimizes It)
- Show Your Equity to Your Team: Employee Dashboard for Ownership Transparency
- How to Distribute Equity Across Your Whole Team (Complete Guide + Benchmarks)
Equity Fairness & Benchmarks
Exit & M&A
- From Day 1 Cap Table to Exit: Tracking Founder Ownership Through Growth
- The M&A Timeline: How Cap Table Cleanup Impacts Your Exit Speed
- Secondary Liquidity: Can You Sell Your Startup Equity Before Exit? (Complete Guide)
- What Will You Make in an Acquisition? Exit Payout Calculator (Interactive Waterfall)
Founder Setup & AI Acceleration
Founder Stories & Case Studies
Founder Wealth & Tax
Fundraising & Dilution
- FAST vs SAFE: Which Convertible Instrument Is Better for Your Cap Table?
- Why Most Founders Own Less Than They Think: Dilution Analysis (Real Data)
- Pro-Rata Rights Explained: Protect Your Ownership in Future Rounds
- Founder Control After Funding: Voting Rights vs Investor Rights (Interactive Playbook)
- Cap Table Recapitalization: When Investors Force You to Restructure Equity
- Anti-Dilution Protection: Who Really Gets Hurt in a Down Round?
- Surviving a Down Round: How Your Cap Table Changes (+ What You Owe Investors)
- LLC vs C-Corp Cap Tables: Which Equity Structure Is Right For You? (Interactive Comparison)
- SAFE Agreements Explained (With Live Cap Table Impact Calculator)
- Option Pool Calculator: How Much Should You Reserve for Hiring? (With Growth Models)
- Your Ownership After Series A: The Real Numbers (+ Interactive Simulator)