Everyday Office Jargon · Vice President level

"Sweat equity"

"Sweat equity" means the value created through someone's labor and time rather than financial investment, often used when founders or early employees work without full pay in exchange for ownership.

Say this instead: unpaid work

How "Sweat equity" shows up at work

Startup culture's way of making 'we can't afford to pay you' sound like a compliment. Founders use it honestly about their own sacrifice; it gets uncomfortable when applied to employees who weren't offered the equity part.

Buzzword

In the early days, it was mostly sweat equity that kept us going.

Plain English

In the early days, it was mostly unpaid effort that kept us going.

Corporate Rank: Vice President · Category: Everyday Office Jargon

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