Do startup employee stock options need an overhaul? Softbank's failed Arm sale + Growth University's Craig Zingerline | E1387

This Week in Startups

Jason Calacanis

Technology

4.4 • 1.3K Ratings

🗓️ 16 February 2022

⏱️ 47 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Catalyzed by a Ryan Breslow viral tweetstorm, we break down the arguments for if companies should loan money to employees to allow them to exercise their stock options early (1:42). Then, we briefly cover Nvidia’s attempted Arm acquisition falling through and what it might mean for the SoftBank-owned chip designer (30:21). Finally, Molly interviews Craig Zingerline from Growth University, a LAUNCH Accelerator founder (38:00)!

(0:00) Jason and Molly tee up today’s topics: Bolt CEO strikes again, Nvidia’s failed Arm acquisition, interview with LAUNCH Accelerator Cohort 24 founder Craig Zingerline
(1:42) Jason breaks down employee stock options and how equity works at early-stage startups
(10:29) OpenPhone - Get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 months at https://openphone.com/twist
(11:27) How has Bolt CEO Ryan Breslow changed equity options for his employees? Is this new model smart or way too risky?
(21:19) RealGoodFoods - Go to https://realgoodfoods.com and use code TWIST for $15 off!
(22:41) VC response to Bolt’s new stock option plan, Jason’s final thoughts
(30:21) Nvidia’s failed acquisition of Arm, is this another SoftBank flop?
(35:21) Teeing up the Craig Zingerline interview
(36:50) Ourcrowd - Check out the deal of the week at https://ourcrowd.com/twist
(38:00) Molly interview current LAUNCH Accelerator portfolio founder Craig Zingerline about his startup Growth University

Check out Growth University: https://growthuniversity.io/

FOLLOW Craig: https://twitter.com/craigzingerline
FOLLOW Jason: https://linktr.ee/calacanis
FOLLOW Molly: https://twitter.com/mollywood

Ryan Breslow's Tweet in Question: https://twitter.com/theryanking/status/1493390167461224451

Transcript

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0:00.0	Okay, everybody, we have a huge show for you today. First up, Polt's EL Ryan
0:04.2	Brezlou is back in the news again. Today he's talking about stock options,
0:09.2	which will break down the arguments on both sides. Then we're going to briefly cover
0:14.0	there are so many, by the way, and so many Twitter dunks. Then we will briefly
0:17.4	cover Nvidia's arm acquisition falling through and whether that is another big
0:22.4	soft bank bet that might need a repricing. And finally, Molly's going to interview
0:27.6	Craig Zingerline from Growth University. This is one of the companies in our
0:30.6	accelerator currently. We're going to be sharing with you a couple of those
0:33.3	companies. You can get to know them early. It's going to be a great episode.
0:37.1	Stick with us. This week in startups is brought to you by
0:41.3	OpenPhone. As a startup founder, a lot of mistakes are easy to roll back,
0:46.4	but using your personal cell phone as your company number isn't one of them.
0:50.5	OpenPhone makes it easy to get business phone numbers for you and your team.
0:55.5	Right on top of your existing devices, visit OpenPhone.co-twist to get 20% off your first six
1:04.1	months. Real good foods is modernizing frozen foods and has become one of the fastest growing
1:10.0	food brands in the U.S. Everything real good foods makes is low in carbs, high in protein,
1:17.0	and made from real food ingredients. Go to realgoodfoods.com and use code
1:23.1	twist for $15 off. Our crowd helps you invest in pre-IPO companies alongside professional
1:31.3	VCs. If you're interested in investing, you can join our crowd for free at OUR-CRO-WD.com-twist.
1:42.4	We're back. We are so grateful to Ryan Breslow for his continuing contribution to the content
1:49.6	of our show. Of course, we are referring to Bolt CEO, Ryan Breslow, who rocketed himself into
1:55.4	the news recently by taking on the Stripe and Paypal Mafia outing breaking that story to the
	...

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