When the team is personally invested, everyone is empowered to work towards the same goal. Research has repeatedly shown that sharing ownership accelerates growth and increases employee loyalty.
Motivating people with shares and options used to be a headache. We've made it safe, easy and affordable.
What has made Vestd such a good choice for us is the very detailed and thoughtful guidance before, during and long after signing up. They have made time and brain available to understand our business, its needs and objectives and given advice on that basis. Never with any pressure or spin.
Thomas P. - Managing Director
Vestd have been brilliant from the start. They always respond quickly and no question is a silly question as far as they are concerned and I've asked a lot of questions!
Sarah T. - Director
I think Vestd has hired a team of the kindest, understanding, helpful and supportive people. I have personally had the best customer service interactions I've ever experienced.
Imen S. - Head of People
Amazing customer support. We had a very tight timeline to grant options and the help we received was unparalleled.
Olivia K. - COO
Excellent product & support. They helped shape our scheme and have been invaluable in getting our valuations over the line over the last few years.
Simon A. - Finance Director
The support we have received from the Vestd team has been excellent, and this has extended way beyond the product into how we manage our shares and company filings.
When you award options to employees they don’t become available to them immediately. Instead, the options go through a ‘vesting’ period, and become available over time. No prizes for guessing where our brand name comes from!
Real shares are granted immediately, but options are subject to vesting, and that comes in two distinct forms: exit-only or exercisable. We are huge fans of the latter for all sorts of reasons, but most companies choose the former.
What are exit-based options?
What are exercisable options?
What are the key differences between exercisable vs exit-only options?
This depends on how you want to distribute equity (e.g real shares, growth shares, or options). There are tax implications for each of these methods.
For EMI options schemes you have a choice to make: you can allow employees to exercise the options at the nominal value, or at an agreed actual market value. The former incurs income tax, whereas there is no tax owed on the latter. Or perhaps the exercise price will be somewhere in between these two values?
This can be a lot to get your head around, so if you want to talk it through then just schedule a no-obligation call with one of our equity experts.
As a business owner you have plenty of protection in the event that an individual leaves or doesn’t deliver, so long as the right conditions are in place.
However, it’s important for the equity to create the desired impact and incentive. That means the recipient also needs to feel that the criteria is fair.