Building an appointment booking system — how should we split equity and workload with a designer co-founder?

Draft a partnership agreement between yourselves before officially incorporating. Clearly state in the contract that all economic rights to code and designs created under intellectual property law—specifically adaptation, reproduction, and distribution rights—are transferred to the project. If you don't document this transfer, a departing partner can later claim 'you can't use my designs.'

A designer saying 'I'll handle marketing too' is usually an empty promise. Selling booking software once it's built means going door-to-door to hair salons and clinics. Are they actually going to hit the pavement and do direct sales, or just post a few graphics on social media and call it a day?

Three of us started a similar booking software project. By month 5, the other dev burned out and quit. Because we had no vesting agreement, he walked away with 33 percent of the project, and we had to shut it down since we couldn't bring in new investors.

You could start with a profit-sharing model instead of equity. Set a fixed fee for the initial design work, then offer a commission percentage based on net revenue brought in through marketing. Once you incorporate, you can distribute equity based on actual contribution.

Built a vet booking dashboard with a former colleague once. Once the design was done he thought his job was finished. I was up at 3 AM fixing broken calendar syncs while he was on vacation. Giving him half ate away at me, and it ruined our friendship in the end.

To safeguard intellectual property, it is essential to include confidentiality, non-compete, and irrevocable assignment of economic copyright clauses in your agreement to prevent future legal disputes.

50-50 is a terrible idea from day one. it leaves decision-making completely ambiguous and as soon as you hit a roadblock it turns into a fight. btw make it at least 51-49 so theres a clear final decision maker.

If you want to protect your friendship, talk through the money and equity down to the harsh details today. Clarity in writing doesn't ruin a friendship; on the contrary it's ambiguity that kills it.

I've been dealing with this for a long time. Everything goes well for the first three months; problems arise in the fourth.

Proven by experience.

I feel the same way. The real issue isn't the number, but what it's based on.

Proven by experience.

let's separate the concepts they're getting mixed up... if you don't write this down from the start it leads to arguments later.

provn by experience.

Great work.

I went through the same thing.

here's how it went for us... the biggest time-waster for us was not knowing who had the final say.

I'm in the same situation, that's why I'm asking. Don't hesitate to ask; those who don't ask always pay more.

I'm also curious if anyone does it differently.

We need to take it step by step. The answer varies greatly by industry; there is no one-size-fits-all rule.

Correct me if I'm wrong.

Yes, that's exactly how it is with creating an appointment booking system. If you don't write this down from the start it leads to arguments later.

I'm also curious if anyone does it differently.

Let me summarize the topic, since several different answers were given. Give trial work but pay for it; free trials don't bind anyone.

This is my opinion, I'm not claiming it's absolute truth.