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When Should I Incorporate My Startup Hero 301480c048046d1d2ab1718b93bdbbf8437e0fe2d1028a72363781e5dd3f2914

Start with 10M shares. Yes, Ten Million.

Using equity to strategically incentivize your early team is essential for most startups’ success. However, many startups initially incorporate with far too few shares to handle all the kinds of grants they will need. Follow the standard 10M authorized shares count to avoid wasted time in corporate clean up.
Peter Swan
Peter Swan , CEO , Gust INC
26 Jun 2025
How to Run a Shareholder Meeting

Co-Founders vs. Founding Team Members: The difference is in both Equity and Expectations.

Define roles and commitment levels before discussing equity. Founders work full-time and commit for years—justifying larger ownership stakes. Valuable part-time contributors deserve equity too, but at levels that match their actual commitment.
Peter Swan
Peter Swan , CEO , Gust INC
24 Jun 2025
Test Your Business Model Against These 10 Elements

Traction Is Validation You Don’t Control

If you’re going to raise money from professional investors you’re going to hear one word a lot: traction. Many founders think traction is the same thing as any forward progress, but it is a very specific kind of progress most founders misunderstand.
Ryan Nash
Ryan Nash , COO , Gust INC
27 May 2025
Startup Pricing Strategy Concepts Df0332e27679a759546818ede07d464577116d19979330954a439fea980ac7d2

Your Earliest Valuation Isn’t So Complicated—Use Your Financial Projections.

At the earliest stages, there’s a surprisingly straightforward way to estimate valuation: Take the amount of money you need to raise, and divide it by the percentage of your company you're willing to sell, that's your post-money valuation.
Ryan Nash
Ryan Nash , COO , Gust INC
20 May 2025
Startup Founders Pitch Toolbox 7569789924beeb0cb16be7cc05e6cd1287ce3efa50402111da2ff0ae0ad4c9db

Don’t raise a round. Fund a plan.

What investors want to see is a capital plan with purpose. That doesn’t mean everything is locked down or guaranteed—but it means you’ve thought it through.
Ryan Nash
Ryan Nash , COO , Gust INC
29 Apr 2025
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