[byebyethepie]

Posting from a throw away account - I've recently exited a company after an acquisition. Employee payout was laughable: gourmet burgers cost more. There were tears and terminations.

If you still think that you are in a small company, you are most likely going to be screwed (imaginary valuation would come crashing down). Things to consider:

1. Verify if you have options on equity or actual equity. If you do not have equity and you only have options, you need to look at your agreement to see what happens to non-vested or vested but non-exercised options during the liquidity event (It is possible that they get wiped out or they get bought back by the company at some very low valuation). It is possible that you would need to exercise your options ASAP.

2. If you have equity and there's a sale in the works and you have voting rights (not all equity has voting rights ) then you will get to see and vote on the terms of the deal.

3. If you have equity and voting rights and the terms look terrible to you ( but you think the other party really wants for transaction to close and you are OK burning bridges, it is possible for you to get better terms for your shares than the general deal - a company may be willing to buy back your shares even at a premium just to make you go away )

4. You should presume that you will be terminated by the new company. Start looking for another job now.

5. Good luck.

[matt_the_bass]

> If you have equity and voting rights and the terms look terrible to you ( but you think the other party really wants for transaction to close and you are OK burning bridges, it is possible for you to get better terms for your shares than the general deal - a company may be willing to buy back your shares even at a premium just to make you go away )

This is great advice. Investors wouldn’t heasitate to do this. If you own equity, you ARE an investor and shouldn’t heasitate either.