

Ask HN:  right way to spin-off from startup - futomaki

I am the first employee at a now very successful startup.  I have been here for a number of years and am a senior engineer in a hands-on &#x27;team lead&#x27; role.  I have some equity (around 0.2% by my reckoning), am well respected, and on excellent terms with management, investors and rank-and-file.<p>For the past year or so, my team has been working exclusively on an open-source project that addresses a critical business need, but is also gaining traction outside the company.<p>I believe the tech is disruptive in it&#x27;s niche, as do others.  I have talked to potential investors, engineers and leaders in the field and have tentative investment, co-founders and influential board member(s) for a new company based on this project.<p>I would like to offer the CEO of my company a board&#x2F;advisor role, as well as retain him as a customer.  Ideally I would take one or two engineers with me, though I would understand if this is impossible.<p>Any ideas on how to approach this?
======
subdane
Find a way to make the deal work for him so he wins instead of loses. Don't
take his employees. Don't charge him. Give him generous advisor shares. Make
him want to help you raise money and build the idea.

