Perhaps the most interesting thing about Walmart’s recent $3 Billion acquisition of Jet.com is seeing how the startup eCommerce company’s referral-for-equity launch program, Jet.com Insiders, played out.
Maybe That should read “paid out”.
The top Jet.com insider is set to make $20M on the stock options that he earned after investing $18,000 of his own money to drive the most pre-launch referrals. Nine other participants in the program will make around $2M each on their stock options.
So The question I have to ask is has Jet.com redefined the sweet equity model? It sure feels like it.
This kind of windfall is sure to attract the attention of savvy founders who are looking for an edge when launching their startups.
And rightly so. As a cash strapped startup the potential value of your equity is your secret weapon. It’s one of your super powers. When wielded correctly, it can unlock doors, attract high value employees, and as Jet.com has proven, even create a built-in fan base for your product that might have taken millions of dollars or years to establish.
What do you think?