Resource Center

Luxury Travel Hackers Ditches Excel to Adopt Astrella Full-Service Equity Management Platform

By Carine Schneider

When Gary Kohn founded Luxury Travel Hackers in 2019, he certainly did not predict having his initial business plans thwarted by a global pandemic. While many travel and tourism businesses were going under due to travel restrictions, Kohn was lying in wait. He knew that travel would come back with a vengeance, so he used … Continue reading Luxury Travel Hackers Ditches Excel to Adopt Astrella Full-Service Equity Management Platform →

Top 5 Cap Table Management Tips For Business Owners

By Carine Schneider

A capitalization table, or cap table, is essential for businesses, showing equity ownership capitalization and information that is necessary for financial decision-making. Given the information included, cap tables require excellent management to ensure it’s all an accurate portrayal of your company’s overall capital structure for growth and potential future investors. At Astrella, we’ve made it … Continue reading Top 5 Cap Table Management Tips For Business Owners →

What Is A Cap Table In Private Equity?

By Carine Schneider

A capitalization table, or cap table, is necessary for any startup or business as it helps to organize and display the company’s equity ownership. It also helps track things like convertible securities, stock options, and stock compensation grants. Ensuring your cap table is well-maintained, organized, and clearly defined will accurately represent the company’s current market … Continue reading What Is A Cap Table In Private Equity? →

What is Cap Table Restructuring?

By Carine Schneider

A capitalization table, or cap table for short, is excellent for businesses to track investors and equity ownership, employee stock option plans, displaying the percentage of ownership of various shareholders, and more. While cap tables are extremely useful for businesses, they can also become overly complicated, especially for larger organizations. A cap table that is … Continue reading What is Cap Table Restructuring? →

How Cap Table Planning Can Benefit Your Startup

By Carine Schneider

If you have recently launched a company or are in the early stages of developing one, you have probably heard of a cap table, or capitalization table, and wondered whether it is necessary for your startup. Startups commonly use cap tables to display their total ownership capitalization or equity capitalization. The intricacy of a startup’s … Continue reading How Cap Table Planning Can Benefit Your Startup →

5 Ways to Professionally Manage Your Financial Assets

By Carine Schneider

Your business is growing—that’s great news! It also means it’s time to triple-check that you’re protecting your assets and managing your finances in a scalable way. Here’s how. By Deanna Ritchie This story originally appeared on Due Your business is growing—that’s great news! It also means it’s time to triple-check that you’re protecting your assets and managing … Continue reading 5 Ways to Professionally Manage Your Financial Assets →

G2 – Best Equity Management Software

By Carine Schneider

G2 takes pride in showing unbiased reviews on user satisfaction in their ratings and reports. Equity management software facilitates the administration of a company’s equity, or its assets minus its liabilities.

Learn how Astrella rates with users on G2!

What Do Investors Look For in a Cap Table?

By Carine Schneider

Investors contribute to a business in hopes of receiving substantial profits, and they can easily determine the health of the business and whether to invest by looking at the cap table. Of course, investors don’t only care about profits. Investors are also looking at the information within the cap table to find any red flags … Continue reading What Do Investors Look For in a Cap Table? →

Why Do Companies Need a Cap Table?

By Carine Schneider

Businesses are mushrooming daily, and some do not possess the professional intelligence required to maintain them. Cap tables are essential to any company, whether big or small. Companies go through various transitions that are key to their development. Maintaining well-organized documents such as a cap table is necessary for the overall function and easy understanding … Continue reading Why Do Companies Need a Cap Table? →

What is a Dilution Cap Table?

By Carine Schneider

A cap table is an abbreviation for a capitalization table. A capitalization table in many cases is private information to a company that shows its ownership shares, investment, and market value. The spreadsheet breaks down the company’s equity ownership capital information which includes:  Common equity shares Preferred equity shares Warrants Convertible equity   A cap … Continue reading What is a Dilution Cap Table? →

Expert to Exit

By Carine Schneider

Building Your Inner Circle You’ve built an amazing company, and now it’s time to get to work helping it grow. In addition to optimizing processes and creating new marketing plans, this is a good point at which to consider your inner circle and how they impact the success of your business. This may contain anyone … Continue reading Expert to Exit →

RSA vs RSU: A Comprehensive Comparison

By Carine Schneider

When it comes to employee equity compensation, there are two main types of options that companies can consider: restricted stock awards (RSA) and restricted stock units (RSU). Both have benefits and drawbacks that should be considered when making a decision.  We have compiled an informative comparison of both stock options, as well as the best … Continue reading RSA vs RSU: A Comprehensive Comparison →

Profit Interest Units: What Every Business Owner Should Know

By Carine Schneider

If you own a small business and need to make profits, you may resort to cutting down employee compensation. But you’ll need an alternative means to boost employee satisfaction, and profit interest units can provide a better solution. Profit interest is a form of equity compensation awarded to individuals for their services in an organization … Continue reading Profit Interest Units: What Every Business Owner Should Know →

What is a Stock Option Grant Agreement?

By Carine Schneider

A stock option is the most prevalent form of equity compensation for startups. Executive remuneration used to include cash in the form of salary increases and bonuses. However, thanks to stock option plans, employees can now benefit from the company’s success without costing them any of their hard-earned cash. Employees must sign the Stock Option … Continue reading What is a Stock Option Grant Agreement? →

Up Your Investment Game as a Qualified Purchaser

By Carine Schneider

The 1929 Wall Street stock market crash led to the Great Depression, which lasted for ten years in the United States. Many investors and banks went bankrupt due to the rapid and severe aftermath of the crash. In response to the impact, the federal government adopted several policies, including the Securities Act of 1933 and … Continue reading Up Your Investment Game as a Qualified Purchaser →

LLC vs. C-Corp: Biggest Differences and Which to Choose

By Carine Schneider

Most entrepreneurs looking to start a cap table operate their businesses as a Limited Liability Company (LLC) or a Corporation. However, according to Internal Revenue Service statistics, LLC filings, compared to C-Corp, are growing at a much higher rate of approximately 4.2% annually. Therefore, it is crucial to understand how LLC and C-Corp are distinct … Continue reading LLC vs. C-Corp: Biggest Differences and Which to Choose →

Venture Capital vs. Private Equity: What’s The Difference

By Carine Schneider

When looking for outside financial backing for your business, venture capital and private equity would be your two choices that seem similar yet have significant differences. Their similar concept, which may make you consider them as one, refers to a firm that invests in private companies in exchange for ownership. Both are financial backings a … Continue reading Venture Capital vs. Private Equity: What’s The Difference →

The Women’s Venture Capital Summit

By Carine Schneider

Carine Schneider was invited to speak at the Women’s Venture Capital Summit.  It was a dynamic, two-day conference designed to forge valuable relationships between senior-level women in venture capital.

Preparing for your exit: Gearing up and getting out

By Carine Schneider

Curious what cap table intelligence can do for you? Get the guidance you need along every step of your business journey with these management tools.

From founding to funding: mapping 4 key trail markers 

By Carine Schneider

As a private company, much of your financial journey revolves around investors and funding. This world can be difficult to navigate; just because you have a great idea and are an expert in your field doesn’t mean you are prepared for the ins and outs of securing funding. With the right tools, you can see … Continue reading From founding to funding: mapping 4 key trail markers  →

Taking Your Employees to the Top

By Carine Schneider

Managing employee stock programs can be a major challenge for early-stage companies. As a founder, you have a lot on your plate, and maintaining a stock program can take up more hours in the day than you are willing—or able—to sacrifice. But with the right platform, an employee equity program doesn’t need to be prohibitively … Continue reading Taking Your Employees to the Top →

Is a Cap Table Confidential?

By Carine Schneider

Often when people ask us about the confidentiality of a cap table they’re curious if there is a legal requirement to make their cap tables public. The answer to this question is no. In fact, most companies choose to keep their cap tables private and confidential.  Even so, there are several parties within a company … Continue reading Is a Cap Table Confidential? →

Don’t lose your grip: Avoid complexity and Excel cap table management

By Carine Schneider

Using digital spreadsheets for your cap table adds layers of work to managing your financial data. One false keystroke can misrepresent real data, there can be multiple versions of the same spreadsheet on various devices, and it can be difficult to find the one source of truth that has correctly preserved your company’s equity information.  … Continue reading Don’t lose your grip: Avoid complexity and Excel cap table management →

What Do Investors Look For in a Cap Table?

By Carine Schneider

As an investor, you want to know what you’re getting yourself into. The best place to start is with the prospective company’s cap table.  A cap table is essentially a spreadsheet. The spreadsheet offers investors a quick glance into which shareholders own what, how much, and the best place for you to jump in. That … Continue reading What Do Investors Look For in a Cap Table? →

Does an LLC Need a Cap Table?

By Carine Schneider

Limited liability companies (LLCs) are unique business entities that protect owners’ personal assets in the event that the business faces legal issues. Having a solid cap table management software helps keep LLCs in good financial order, regardless of the size to which it grows. LLCs may begin with one or two employees and grow into … Continue reading Does an LLC Need a Cap Table? →

An Innovator | Carine M. Schneider

By Carine Schneider

Carine M. Schneider still remembers the first conversation when she decided to build Astrella. “When they say “we drew it on a cocktail napkin,” I really did do that. I had a vision on how we could build an ownership tracking system while integrating services and solutions from other providers in our ecosystem,” she elucidates. … Continue reading An Innovator | Carine M. Schneider →

CHALK TALK WITH CARINE

By Carine Schneider

Fundraising Strategies for Fast-Growing Companies Crowdfunding vs. Angel Investing vs. VC. 10 MARCH 2022: 11am PST / 1pm CST / 2pm EST / 6pm GMT Practical fundraising tips from the pros. Listen as two experts share their insights on properly navigating the world of venture capital, angel investing, and crowdfunding. What are the best fundraising … Continue reading CHALK TALK WITH CARINE →

Scouting the Terrain: Mapping Your Climb with Cap Table Intelligence

By Carine Schneider

Starting a company is an exciting and often intimidating adventure. Making the climb from the company’s founding to a public offering or exit strategy can seem impossible. In fact, about 40% of businesses who say they are about to go public later realize that they are missing crucial data and are unable to reach an … Continue reading Scouting the Terrain: Mapping Your Climb with Cap Table Intelligence →

5 Habits To Ensure A Clean Cap Table

By Carine Schneider

When managing your capitalization table or, cap table, maintaining the precision and validity of its information should be top of mind. Whether your business is looking to increase investor acquisition, prepare your cap table for the next financing round, or predict capital gains with scenario testing, a “dirty” cap table will hold you back. But … Continue reading 5 Habits To Ensure A Clean Cap Table →

How to Create a Cap Table: A Basic Overview

By Carine Schneider

As a start-up company, you’ll want to consider creating a cap table to manage your financial assets. However, tracking ownership, shares and various funding sources can become overwhelming quickly. Creating a capitalization table that offers the quick setup, security, and automation you need is the best way to ensure your business’s shareholders and employee stock … Continue reading How to Create a Cap Table: A Basic Overview →

3 Challenges in Growing the Private Market—and the Opportunities They Create

By Carine Schneider

The private market is often considered an exclusive club. While it may tout accessibility for everyone, only those with substantial personal wealth or connections can reliably find their way in through a secret door. In fact, there are many qualified “accredited investors” who don’t realize they can participate in this asset class, because they do … Continue reading 3 Challenges in Growing the Private Market—and the Opportunities They Create →

Responding to the Great Resignation: How an Employee Stock Program Can Alleviate Your Problem

By Carine Schneider

The Great Resignation is making many employers nervous about the future of their businesses. With 38 million workers leaving their jobs and 25 major companies experiencing employee strikes, 2021 highlighted a major labor shift in the U.S. Companies, however, are far from powerless in this shift and can use several tools available to them to … Continue reading Responding to the Great Resignation: How an Employee Stock Program Can Alleviate Your Problem →

Corporate CPR Episode 16: Integrating Blockchain Tech in Business Processes with Carine Schneider

By Carine Schneider

The link between blockchain technology & business corporations, alongside how finance is inventing new ways to make blockchain technology more useful and reliable in business is the topic of this podcast.

CAPtivate21 at The Pearl in San Francisco

By Carine Schneider

Astrella hosted a few hundred alliances and leaders from the Private Market ecosystem for #CAPtivate21 at The Pearl in San Francisco. The event included a panel discussion and was also used to launch the new book from President of AST Private Company Solutjons, Carine Schneider “The Democratization of the Private Market.” “The CAPtivate was excellent … Continue reading CAPtivate21 at The Pearl in San Francisco →

The SEC Thinks the Lack of Transparency in Private Markets Is a Risk to Investors. The Commission Wants That to Change.

By Carine Schneider

Industry experts talk about what’s next for private companies now that transparency is on the top of the regulator’s mind. November 08, 2021 Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg Founders, many of whom want to avoid the scrutiny of public markets, are choosing to stay private for longer than ever. Yet with a record amount of cash locked up … Continue reading The SEC Thinks the Lack of Transparency in Private Markets Is a Risk to Investors. The Commission Wants That to Change. →

Equity inequity: What is it, and why does it matter for your business?

By Carine Schneider

              Employee compensation can be a complicated and multi-faceted puzzle. Even if a business has found a balance between profitability and employee satisfaction in salaries, they may have no idea how to approach stock awards. How many shares should a company grant its employees and how often? There are … Continue reading Equity inequity: What is it, and why does it matter for your business? →

3 must-haves in stock plan management software

By Carine Schneider

Before the dot-com boom of the late 90s, employees used to write checks to their employer when they decided to exercise their stock options. In return, the company would deposit the check and issue a paper stock certificate to the employee. Now that banking and financial management have mostly moved online, stock ownership is managed … Continue reading 3 must-haves in stock plan management software →

Astrella® and Forge Global Announce Strategic Collaboration

By Carine Schneider

MENLO PARK, Calif. & SAN FRANCISCO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–AST Private Company Solutions, Inc. (AST PCS) is announcing it has collaborated with Forge Global, a leading global private securities marketplace, to provide private companies with an integrated solution to manage company sponsored liquidity events and cap table administration. With this integration, companies that use Astrella to manage their stock … Continue reading Astrella® and Forge Global Announce Strategic Collaboration →

Women Leading The Finance Industry: Carine Schneider of AST Private Company Solutions On The 5 Things You Should Do To Increase Your Financial Literacy

By Carine Schneider

“I also believe parents need to talk to their children about money and I think they need to be part of their child’s education. If parents are uncomfortable, find a family friend or relative who is willing to sit down with your children to explain how all this works.” As a part of our series … Continue reading Women Leading The Finance Industry: Carine Schneider of AST Private Company Solutions On The 5 Things You Should Do To Increase Your Financial Literacy →

Female Disruptors: Carine Schneider of AST Private Company Solutions On The Three Things You Need To Shake Up Your Industry

By Carine Schneider

Astrella President Carine Schneider, FGE is known for shaking things up (in all the best ways!) She recently sat down with Authority Magazine as part of their new series focused on Female Disruptors. “Currently, I am focused on finding ways to expand the private market for investors. My focus over the next few years will be to support founders … Continue reading Female Disruptors: Carine Schneider of AST Private Company Solutions On The Three Things You Need To Shake Up Your Industry →

GEO’s 22nd Annual Conference

By Carine Schneider

14 September-07 October #ComeTogether Register for GEO’s 22nd Annual Conference, where you are one step closer to joining like-minded individuals for four weeks of compelling discussions and networking. Hear from industry leaders, including Carine Schneider, FGE, Astrella, on the challenges and solutions in today’s competitive market. GEO’s Annual Conferences are specifically designed with a focus … Continue reading GEO’s 22nd Annual Conference →

It’s been one year since we officially launched!

By Keith

Want to get funded? The reality isn’t like TV. You’re going to need a cap table.

By Keith

We’ve all seen Shark Tank – the contestants go through elaborate preparations to quickly pitch television venture capitalists, attempt to make a deal, and get some buzz around their idea. One thing you don’t ever see is Mark Cuban asking to see well-managed cap table software and that’s where reality and TV start to separate. … Continue reading Want to get funded? The reality isn’t like TV. You’re going to need a cap table. →

Equality and equity are not the same, it’s time to talk about that

By Keith

As you build your company or brand — it needs to stand for something beyond simply photos of smiling people or a logo mark. It needs to have an ethos and meaning, an organizational culture that drives what you do and how you do it. At Astrella, we believe strongly in the concept of equity. … Continue reading Equality and equity are not the same, it’s time to talk about that →

Q3 Astrella Updates

By Keith

By Angela Vuong, Support Manager Time surely flies and COVID time seems to be slower or faster depending on the day! The team at Astrella has been working hard and we wanted to give you a quick brief on the top 5 feature releases of 2020’s third quarter. If you’re interested in learning about our … Continue reading Q3 Astrella Updates →

Astrella® Partner Ecosystem: Marketplace for Customers and Partners

By Keith

Author: Paul Arens, Head of Business Development and Partnerships “Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success.” — Henry Ford From the early stages of creating Astrella, our goal has been “do what you do the best.” We began by building Astrella’s cap table management software with people who have … Continue reading Astrella® Partner Ecosystem: Marketplace for Customers and Partners →

10 Reasons Why Using Spreadsheets is a Bad Idea

By Keith

Capitalization tables (or cap tables) provide an analysis of a company’s percentages of ownership, equity dilution, and value of equity in each round of investment by founders, investors, and other owners. Developing a cap table and making related decisions can be complicated and overwhelming. Failing to have a clear picture of your company’s share ownership … Continue reading 10 Reasons Why Using Spreadsheets is a Bad Idea →

Defining blockchain basics and why it’s important

By Carine Schneider

Blockchain Fundamentals Many people confuse blockchain technology with cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. It’s an easy mistake to make so let’s distinguish between the two. Think of blockchain as the operating system providing the means to record and store transactions while Bitcoin is a digital security tracked on the application using blockchain technology. Blockchain technology, used by … Continue reading Defining blockchain basics and why it’s important →