The hosts discuss the conflicts that arise when determining principal compensation in firms with multiple owners. They explain the three components of compensation - ownership, work, and risk. They explore the various forms of risk associated with lending money to a company. They also delve into the principles of partner compensation, including ownership percentage and contribution level.
Owners get paid for what they own, what they do, and the specific risk they take, which contributes to their overall compensation.
Principles should contribute in a unique way to foster a healthier compensation structure and avoid direct comparisons between partners.
Deep dives
Three Things that Owners Get Paid For
Owners get paid for what they own, which shows up in the form of profit. They also get paid for what they do in the form of a paycheck. Lastly, owners get paid based on the specific risk they take, such as loaning money to the company. These three factors, ownership, work, and risk, contribute to the overall compensation of owners.
Principles Should Contribute Uniquely
Principles are encouraged to contribute in a unique way based on their individual skills and responsibilities. This helps avoid direct comparisons between partners and allows for a more diverse range of contributions within the firm. While each partner should contribute at a similar level, uniqueness in their roles helps foster a healthier compensation structure.
Pay and the Size of the Firm
Larger firms are expected to pay more in compensation for their owners. This is primarily because larger firms entail more risk and often require more specialized skills and expertise. Conversely, there is no economic advantage in having multiple owners when it comes to making more money. Effective compensation strategies should prioritize fairness and align with the size and scale of the firm.
David frequently gets hired to help resolve issues at firms between multiple principles when it comes to who does what and how much each should get paid, so he’s come up with a 7-point framework he can use in each unique scenario.
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