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In this episode of Tech Equity and Money Talk, we're turning the tables! Our good friend Fred DeWorken takes over the mic and puts Christopher in the hot seat. Christopher spills the beans on his wild ride into the tech world, including that time it took him 14 years to finally grab that college diploma.

From his high-flying days as an Accenture consultant to riding the IPO wave with big names like Splunk, GitLab, and Yext, Christopher doesn’t hold back. Tune in for a behind-the-scenes look at the journey that led him here!

Frederick DeWorken previously appeared as a guest on episodes 55 and 56, and now, the roles have reversed—he's interviewing our host, Christopher Nelson.

Connect with Frederick

https://www.linkedin.com/in/data-cloud/

Host: Fred DeWorken

Guest: Christopher Nelson

Highlights:

• Unconventional Path: Christopher took 14 years to complete his college degree, initially working in the restaurant industry.
• Tech Spark: His interest in technology was ignited while working on a virtual menu project for a high-end sushi restaurant in San Diego.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Know Your Value: Christopher advises tech employees to understand and articulate their value, using tools like levels.fyi to benchmark their worth.
• Negotiate Wisely: He shares insights on negotiating not just the quantity of equity but also the vesting schedules and other terms.
• Education and Support: He stresses the importance of continuous education and surrounding oneself with a supportive community to navigate the complexities of tech equity.

Episode Timeline:

• [00:02:30] Journey into tech through food.
• [00:04:33] Persistence in advanced calculus.
• [00:08:19] Realizing Your Value in Tech.
• [00:12:30] Undervaluing skills for equity.
• [00:18:27] Due diligence for success.
• [00:22:22] Due diligence process in investing.
• [00:24:38] Maximizing Your Value as an Employee.
• [00:29:52] Negotiation strategies and growth.
• [00:31:06] Negotiating vesting schedules.
• [00:36:31] Managing stock value after IPO.
• [00:40:31] Sudden Wealth Syndrome.
• [00:42:53] Support groups and accountability.
• [00:46:33] Investing in AI companies.
• [00:51:14] Managing emotions while being choosy.
• [00:55:15] Trading time for equity.