For many entrepreneurs, paying yourself can feel like a future goal—something to figure out after revenue scales, after funding comes in, or after everyone else is taken care of.
But the data tells a different story.
“Access to capital and years in business matter more than revenue as drivers of entrepreneurs’ pay and success.”
— Your Pay Plan Workbook
If you’re not planning for your pay now, you’re leaving strategy, resilience, and sustainability on the table.
Founder Pay at a Glance
Based on research from the nonprofit Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center, which has supported over 100,000 global founders:
- 💸 Founders with funding (Seed–Series C) are 3x more likely to pay themselves
- 🧭 Companies in business 8+ years are significantly more likely to provide founder compensation
- 🧱 The #1 barrier to founder pay is lack of access to capital
These insights are drawn from the Your Pay Plan Workbook—a free tool designed to help entrepreneurs take action now, not years down the road.
What’s Inside the Your Pay Plan Workbook
“You are your business’s most valuable asset. If you’re not paying yourself, you’re not protecting that asset.”
Here’s what you’ll find in the workbook:
- Income Benchmarks – Real-world pay ratios from other business owners
- Draw vs. Salary Models – Understand what’s right for your business structure
- Calculators – Interactive tools to forecast your owner’s compensation
- Editable Templates – Map your pay plan to revenue and growth
- Expert Resources – Curated links to Gusto, Xero, NerdWallet, and more
Let’s Normalize Paying Founders
Paying yourself isn’t indulgent—it’s a strategic milestone. It signals that your business model supports sustainability, not burnout. You don’t need to wait for the perfect month or funding round. You need a plan that works today and evolves with your journey.
✅ Use the Your Pay Plan Workbook to start mapping your compensation strategy now.
Featured in finance and startup resources by leaders in the space, this workbook is helping founders normalize compensation as a vital business priority.
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