Question
I currently own a small but very successful digital eCommerce agency that design, build, support and market enterprise eCommerce sites.
My idea is to launch a separate eCommerce agency entirely focused on an eCommerce market that is more towards eCommerce SMB's. I have been trying to figure out how I can use my experience and knowledge to find a hungry young co-founder that would like to start up the company. I finally found that person who I've known for some time, he's been freelancing for several years and only making $40k a year. He isn't as experienced as myself, but with guidance and mentoring I believe he can grow into a great leader.
Ultimately, I'm trying to figure out how I can eventually move away from being an active partner and into more of an advisory role once the company is profitable. I'd like this to be a separate company I start-up and is run by our team. I feel like I can set up this agency to grow with the team around it, as I have an idea to find ANOTHER co-founder who will be responsible for business development, this way we have two active partners working in the company who have more of an invested interest in the companies success.
How am I contributing to the company?
I'm bringing all my experience to the table and implementing this into the agency, which is the advantage I bring to the business.
Here are a few details about my experience and INITIAL involvement with this startup agency:
- Business Development (This would eventually be replaced with a full-time employee once the business has positive cash flow)
- Strategic Partnerships
- Process Implementation
- SOPS Setup
- Pricing Strategy
- Marketing Strategy
My co-founders responsibility:
- Sales initially
- Project Management once we have projects rolling in
- Web development initially until we grow to be able to bring on a full-time hire
- Payables & Receivables
Questions:
1.) What type of partnership role should I be considering for myself?
2.) Should I be getting a salary if I'm not actively involved in the business after year 1/2?
3.) How should I be setting my schedule to contribute to the company from advisor role?
4.) How should the partnership ownership be split, considering my future involvement in the company?
5.) Any tips on negotiating the partnership so that its fair?
Answer
I've been in a very similar situation as yourself. In our case the company split into two for better operational flow. I was the CEO of one company and was trying to figure out how to structure the other one.
Unfortunately, the answer to many of your questions depends on further details. But I'll give some general feedback:
1. Depends on how much time you actual put into this new company. You sound like a CEO role but having a CEO that only spends 10hrs in the company a week would make the company look weak. You can start out as CEO and change roles later.
2. What's your exit strategy? If you plan on exiting soon, then you shouldn't; you'll make money when the company exits. But if it's more of a long-term play, then perhaps you should setup a dividend structure. I don't think it's good for company culture when someone takes a salary for not doing work.
3. Depends on growth but usually early founders become a board member. Depending on the company, they can meet as frequently as once a month, but typically a quarterly meeting is more likely.
4. This is a complex question which requires much more info.
5. This is tied in with #4.
