# Fair Compensation for a CTO

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fair-compensation-for-a-cto/805240>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [December 24, 2017, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fair-compensation-for-a-cto/805240 "2017-12-24T21:47:46Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![molten](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ec9cab/32.png) [@molten](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/molten)\
**Post date:** [December 24, 2017, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fair-compensation-for-a-cto/805240/1 "2017-12-24T21:47:46Z")

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I am in the process of joining a startup as the CTO and I am not sure what compensation to ask.

My role would be to manage outsourcing and coding all the behind the scenes parts of a website and app.

I am in a large city in the states. What should I ask for? (monthly salary, lump sum, options…) What should I base the number on?

I am thinking to work one day a week (other obligations).

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**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\
**Post date:** [December 24, 2017, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fair-compensation-for-a-cto/805240/2 "2017-12-24T22:02:32Z")

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I have some questions:

What city or metro area? Are you an employee or a contractor? If an employee, what type of compensation are they offering other C-level employees? You mentioned a start up. Are they expecting to offer little to no cash compensation and largely stock option-based compensation instead? Will you be working at another technology position during this time period? If so, do you need to worry about a non-compete clause with the other company?

Based on what we know so far, I strongly suspect that you’ll be working for options.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![molten](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ec9cab/32.png) [@molten](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/molten)\
**Post date:** [December 24, 2017, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fair-compensation-for-a-cto/805240/3 "2017-12-24T23:23:38Z")

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Chicago. I am not sure if I would be an employee or contractor yet, I guess that needs to be decided (which is better for me and why?). I would be initially the only person working on this live with others being contracted by me online for some aspects. There are no other employees yet, there are just a couple of partners.

Initially the guy said they don’t offer equity until you pass the “cliff” of the first year, which is why I asked for a financial compensation in the meanwhile.

Concurrently I’d be working on unrelated academic work.

What is the standard amount I should ask for in case I only work for 1-2 days a week and what terms for options?