A guide for founders: When a Mentor Wants Equity
How to say yes, or not yet, when a mentor wants equity.
What this guide covers
What this guide covers
What this guide covers
What is usual
Advisor stakes are small
The FAST benchmark runs from 0.15% to 1%, by stage and by how much they do.
What you get for it
Agree what the equity pays for
Write down the meetings, introductions and tasks, so both sides know the deal.
- A monthly meeting standard
- Introductions to customers expert
- Help with hiring expert
- Joining a customer call expert
Vesting
Let the shares vest over time
FAST vests over two years, with nothing earned in the first three months.
- Months 1 to 3 nothing vests, either side can stop
- After month 3 shares start to vest
- After 2 years all shares vested
A trial month
Work together first, then talk equity
Founder Institute suggests at least a month and 8 hours together before discussing terms.
In writing
Put the terms in a signed agreement
Use a standard template and check any edited version against the original.
- Percentage of shares
- Vesting and cliff
- What the advisor will do
- How either side ends it
Saying not yet
Not yet is a fair answer
Thank them, suggest a trial month and agree a date to talk again.
- Thank you, that means a lot to us. Let us work together for a month, then talk about a role.
Who else to ask
Ask the program team and a lawyer
Some programs have rules on mentor equity, and a lawyer should read the agreement.
- The program team their rules on mentor equity
- A lawyer before you sign
- Your co-founders their shares are diluted too
Mentornity in Claude and ChatGPT
Use Mentornity from Claude or ChatGPT
Ask in your own words; your assistant plans meetings, fills in tools and drafts messages.
Connect it once
Add Mentornity in Claude, ChatGPT or another MCP app, then sign in.
Ask in your own words
Plan meetings, fill in a tool or form, find a mentor, reply.
A preview before every change
The assistant shows what will happen; nothing changes until you say yes.
Disconnect any time
It sees only what you see; Settings shows what it did recently.
Connect it once
Add Mentornity in Claude, ChatGPT or another MCP app, then sign in.
Ask in your own words
Plan meetings, fill in a tool or form, find a mentor, reply.
A preview before every change
The assistant shows what will happen; nothing changes until you say yes.
Disconnect any time
It sees only what you see; Settings shows what it did recently.
Your goals and the Academy
Set goals, learn, earn a badge
Track your goals in My development and learn in Mentornity Academy, in your language.
Set your goals
Write what you want to reach and rate it at each check-in.
Badge courses for mentors
Seven skills with short practice, then a 20-question exam.
Guides for mentors and mentees
Research-based guides, a deck for every tool, and decks for your program.
Add your badge to LinkedIn
Pass the exam and share the badge page, valid for two years.
Set your goals
Write what you want to reach and rate it at each check-in.
Badge courses for mentors
Seven skills with short practice, then a 20-question exam.
Guides for mentors and mentees
Research-based guides, a deck for every tool, and decks for your program.
Add your badge to LinkedIn
Pass the exam and share the badge page, valid for two years.
Work together before you give equity
Agree the work, the vesting and the exit, and sign it.