Agree on the work
We agree on the job, its market value and what can be paid now.
A fair way to build The Button Factory together
Do the work.
Own a piece.
20%for the team
Your approved points decide how the yellow piece is shared.
We are setting aside 20 out of every 100 company shares for people who help build the business while accepting less than the full market value of their work.
Sign in with the same email you used on your application.The simple version
Four steps. One shared pie.
Do and log it
You record approved hours and one clear note about what you completed.
Receive cash and earn points
You receive the agreed cash payment. The value left in the business is recorded as Pie points.
Receive your share of the Pie
Once the business is sustainable, everyone’s points set the final ownership split.
Why contribute?
Help build the place—and share in what you build.
This is for people taking an ongoing, agreed role in growing The Button Factory.
A meaningful stake
A fixed 20% of the company is reserved for contributors. Your approved points decide your share of that pool.
No mystery maths
Your role, rate, cash, hours and points are recorded. You can see your live estimate as the team contributes.
Ownership that can matter
When the pie bakes, points become legal shares that may gain value and may receive dividends when one is declared.
Before you begin, we agree on the work, its fair market rate, the cash paid now and the expected time. Only completed, logged and approved work earns points.
A worked example
How one day of work becomes part of the Pie
Sam contributes an eight-hour day valued at $400. Button Factory pays $200 in cash. The remaining $200 stays in the business and earns Pie points.
1
Calculate the contributionSeparate the cash payment from the value left in the business.
8 hours × $50 per hour$400 total value
Paid in cash$200 today8 hours × $25
Left in the business$200 contributed$400 − $200
Contribution multiplier
$200× 2
400Pie points earned
Why double it? The multiplier recognises the extra commitment involved in leaving part of the work’s value in the business. It applies only to the $200 contribution.
2
Place it alongside the teamEveryone’s approved points are added to the same running total.
One year later
The team’s accumulated points divide one Contributor Pie.
The full circle is the fixed 20% share pool—not the whole company.
ContributorPointsPie portion
Sam8,00020%
Alex9,20023%
Jo8,80022%
Casey7,40018.5%
Riley6,60016.5%
Sam’s 8,000 pointsout of 40,000 team points
→20% of the PieSam’s portion of the pool
→4% of the companyillustrative ownership at the bake
Example only. The final portions follow everyone’s approved point totals when the Pie bakes.
When points become ownership
“Baking the Pie” means the contribution period is complete and ownership is shared.
It happens when Button Factory can consistently cover its costs and pay all ongoing work at the agreed market rate.
To bake, the business needs to hold this position—not simply reach it once:
All operating costs are covered
Ongoing work can be paid at agreed market rates
The result holds for 13 steady weeks
An eight-week operating reserve is held
A major investment or sale can also trigger an earlier bake.
The contribution period closes
Everyone’s approved contributions and point totals are reviewed and confirmed.
The 20% is divided
Each person’s portion of all points decides their portion of the fixed 20% share pool.
Real shares are issued
The allocation is legally recorded. Contributors become shareholders with equity in the company.
What ownership means
You own part of the company.
Your shares give you equity. You may receive your proportional share of a dividend when the company has distributable profit and the directors declare one. Dividends are not guaranteed. Your shares may also gain value if the company grows or is sold.
Work after the bake
Get paid—or choose to invest again.
Future work is normally paid at the agreed market rate. A separate, capped Future Growth Pool may let people voluntarily invest an agreed amount without reopening the first 20% pie.
Good questions
What contributors usually want to know.
Interested in contributing?
Start with a conversation—not a timesheet.
We’ll agree on a useful role, fair rate, cash arrangement and expected contribution before any points begin.