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The first-hand cautionary tale our answer needs. Kwan went 50/50 across two startups over nine years, put in 100k of her own savings, took loans, skipped her salary, and ran BD, sales, and ops while her technical cofounder drew a steady paycheck and coded. When the company sold, the equal split paid him more for less risk, and the resentment ended the friendship. Her fix is exactly our tie-breaker instinct: a 10-minute conversation naming who actually owns what, then splitting on that.
Why cofounders should not split equity 50/50
From Melissa Kwan (eWebinar founder) by Melissa Kwan 10 min read
- "Cofounders" does not mean "equal partners": split on the responsibilities each person truly carries, not on friendship
- Unequal sacrifice (savings, salary, personal risk) under an equal split breeds the resentment that kills the partnership
- Have the awkward equity conversation early and explicitly; it takes 10 minutes and saves the relationship
