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Are you suggesting that $400K is reasonable, and that it is because this person has the title of "CEO" and is located in the Bay Area? We are talking about som

Are you suggesting that $400K is reasonable, and that it is because this person has the title of "CEO" and is located in the Bay Area? We are talking about someone who: 1) is leading a startup journalism non-profit. 2) has no prior experience as a CEO 3) has never worked in the journalism industry If this were a tech startup, the salary range for this CEO would be $0 to $100K. To be fair, since as a non-profit there is no equity upside, one could argue for a hefty year end performance-based bonus. But a guaranteed $400K salary is beyond absurd.

ghshephard 16y ago
Correct, I am saying that $400K is reasonable for a CEO of a venture of this sort only if they do not have extensive experience and/or if they were doing this as a labor of love (Not-for-Profit). If they had significant experience, or knowledge of this industry, they should be making much more. Someone decided that his background would make him an effective CEO - and once they did, the salary should be commensurate with the responsibilities. If this were a tech startup, the salary range for a CEO in the valley (for a Series A/B Round startup) would be $250K-$300K with an upside ranging in the 10s of millions. A guaranteed $400K salary is really not a very decent salary for a CEO. I'll see if I can find some stats to back up my claim. [EDIT: http://www.siliconvalley.com/salary-survey/ci_12523817?nclick_check=1 http://www.siliconvalley.com/salary-survey/ci_12523817?nclic...] In 2009: The median pay package the valley's boards of directors awarded their chief executives dropped 5.6 percent, to $2.2 million.
- jimboyoungblood 16y ago
  You are using CEO salaries of publicly traded companies as comps for the "CEO" of a startup journalism nonprofit (with NO employees to manage, as of the CEO's first day on the job). You don't see anything wrong with that?
Kickmr 16y ago
If you think tech CEOs in the bay area make under 100k you are either not from here or they've all been lying to you to pay you beans.
- jimboyoungblood 16y ago
  Yup, all those YC CEO's are sure rolling in the dough.

ghshephard 16y ago

Correct, I am saying that $400K is reasonable for a CEO of a venture of this sort only if they do not have extensive experience and/or if they were doing this as a labor of love (Not-for-Profit). If they had significant experience, or knowledge of this industry, they should be making much more. Someone decided that his background would make him an effective CEO - and once they did, the salary should be commensurate with the responsibilities. If this were a tech startup, the salary range for a CEO in the valley (for a Series A/B Round startup) would be $250K-$300K with an upside ranging in the 10s of millions. A guaranteed $400K salary is really not a very decent salary for a CEO. I'll see if I can find some stats to back up my claim. [EDIT: http://www.siliconvalley.com/salary-survey/ci_12523817?nclick_check=1 http://www.siliconvalley.com/salary-survey/ci_12523817?nclic...] In 2009: The median pay package the valley's boards of directors awarded their chief executives dropped 5.6 percent, to $2.2 million.

jimboyoungblood 16y ago
You are using CEO salaries of publicly traded companies as comps for the "CEO" of a startup journalism nonprofit (with NO employees to manage, as of the CEO's first day on the job). You don't see anything wrong with that?

Kickmr 16y ago

If you think tech CEOs in the bay area make under 100k you are either not from here or they've all been lying to you to pay you beans.

jimboyoungblood 16y ago
Yup, all those YC CEO's are sure rolling in the dough.