Google, deadpool, dennis crowley, dodgeball, exits, top

Dodgeball founder quits Google; will Google kill the service?

NICK DOUGLAS — Dennis Crowley announced Sunday night that he's left Google. (His friend Andrew Krucoff scooped him.) The Dodgeball founder said that the company had never given his team the resources they needed to maintain and expand the location-texting service. "The whole experience was incredibly frustrating," he wrote on a group blog. Crowley posted the same story on Flickr, where he also commented that he and co-Dodgeballer Alex Rainert left "regardless" of their Google stock (or options) vesting schedule. "Regardless"? Ha! Google bought Dodgeball 23 months ago. One would assume his contract made him stay two years to collect a stock or options bonus, and Crowley can't be dumb enough to walk away one month before payday. Assume he and Rainert got their money's worth out of these dreary two years — and they sure deserved it, having to sit back and watch startups Twitter and Jaiku take over the group-messaging field. The next question is, will Google shutter Dodgeball? (Photo: Dennis Crowley)

1:00 AM on Mon Apr 16 2007
By Nick Douglas
3,918 views
8 comments

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cv at 06:41 AM on 04/16/07
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I assume that he did not get his money's worth from waiting.

In any case, the clock probably started ticking from the first day of public trading (September 28, 2005), not the date the Dodgeball deal was announced. So even if he was on an accelerated two-year vesting schedule, he's still six months short.
Nick Douglas at 10:39 AM on 04/16/07
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Then I'm guessing an 18-month schedule.
cv at 11:42 AM on 04/16/07
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Of course, an 18-month schedule is possible, but it would be very unusual. In any case, the comment implies that he is not fully vested.

A typical Sillycon Valley vesting schedule is an initial 20% on the one year anniversary of the grant date, plus 2% per month thereafter, thus four years and four months to be fully vested.
bread at 11:45 AM on 04/16/07
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@cv: 4+4, eh? You need a better lawyer, or at least smarter friends.
cv at 11:55 AM on 04/16/07
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Perhaps you are right, but I would not say that to my current lawyer and friends. :P

Then again, money isn't everything...
trevo at 12:03 PM on 04/16/07
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@cv: Are you referring to a VC-founder/employee stock option schedule?

AFAIK, "golden handcuffs" through acquisitions are usually shorter and two years is the norm.
cv at 01:22 PM on 04/16/07
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There are various vesting schedules and yes, I think the two-year golden handcuffs is pretty commonplace for acquisitions, but who knows what the Dodgeball guys got.

Even if these guys are on the two-year plan, it still depends on when the grant date was and whether or not they repriced their options (which normally resets the clock).
cv at 07:24 AM on 04/17/07
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LOL, okay, I see it now. It's four years and two months, not four years and four months.

I don't need a better lawyer or smarter friends, I just need the right amount of coffee! :)