Maya's Dilemma (Graphic Case) Custom Case Solution & Analysis

Part 1: Evidence Brief (Case Researcher)

Financial Metrics

• Maya’s current salary: $85,000 per year.
• Job offer salary: $115,000 per year (35% increase).
• Estimated cost of living increase: 15% (relocation to a high-cost urban center).
• Personal savings: $12,000 (limited runway for transition).

Operational Facts

• Current role: Graphic Designer at a mid-sized regional agency; 4 years tenure.
• New offer: Senior Designer at a high-growth tech startup; undefined equity package.
• Timeframe: Offer expires in 48 hours.
• Geography: Relocation required; lease break fee of $3,000.

Stakeholder Positions

• Maya: Torn between comfort/stability of current role and career growth/compensation of the new offer.
• Current Manager: Values Maya’s institutional knowledge; hinted at a promotion in 6–9 months.
• Tech Startup Founders: Aggressive growth culture; high expectations for immediate output.

Information Gaps

• Equity details: The value and vesting schedule of the startup offer are absent.
• Culture fit: No data on the startup’s attrition rate or management stability.
• Promotion certainty: The current manager’s promise is non-binding and lacks a defined salary adjustment.

Part 2: Strategic Analysis (Strategic Analyst)

Core Strategic Question

Should Maya prioritize immediate compensation growth and career trajectory at a high-risk startup, or optimize for long-term stability and current social capital at her existing firm?

Structural Analysis

• Opportunity Cost: Staying means forfeiting a $30,000 gross salary increase. The implicit cost is the potential stagnation of skill development in a legacy environment.
• Risk-Reward Profile: The startup offer provides higher immediate cash but introduces high volatility regarding employment security and personal relocation costs.

Strategic Options

• Option 1: Accept the Offer. Immediate financial gain and skill acceleration. Trade-off: High personal disruption and risk of role mismatch.
• Option 2: Negotiate Current Role. Request a formalization of the hinted promotion and a salary adjustment. Trade-off: High likelihood of rejection or delay.
• Option 3: Decline and Pivot. Stay for 6 months while aggressively searching for a more stable, higher-paying role. Trade-off: Delays growth and leaves money on the table.

Preliminary Recommendation

Accept the offer, provided the equity package is quantified. The current role offers a promise, not a contract. The startup represents a tangible step-function change in market value.

Part 3: Implementation Roadmap (Implementation Specialist)

Critical Path

• Phase 1 (Hours 0-24): Demand clear terms on equity, vesting, and performance metrics from the startup.
• Phase 2 (Hours 24-48): Formalize the resignation if terms meet the threshold; initiate apartment search.
• Phase 3 (Days 1-30): Execute relocation and onboard to the startup.

Key Constraints

• Cash Flow: The $3,000 lease break fee and moving costs will exhaust 25% of current savings.
• Equity Transparency: Without clear equity details, the compensation increase is overstated due to the high failure rate of tech startups.

Risk-Adjusted Implementation

Maintain a 3-month living expense buffer. If the startup fails to provide detailed equity terms within 24 hours, the offer must be rejected as it signals poor management maturity.

Part 4: Executive Review and BLUF (Executive Critic)

BLUF

Maya should accept the offer if, and only if, the startup provides a clear, written equity grant with a 4-year vesting schedule. The current manager’s promise is a retention tactic, not a career strategy. The 35% salary increase justifies the relocation risk, provided Maya secures the equity terms. If the startup refuses to provide these details, the offer is essentially a high-stress commodity role with no long-term upside. In that scenario, she should decline and seek a role that offers both higher base pay and transparent equity ownership.

Dangerous Assumption

The analysis assumes the startup’s offer is a stable career path. Startups are volatile; the real risk is not the move, but the lack of due diligence on the startup’s runway and funding status.

Unaddressed Risks

• Burnout: Startups often demand 60+ hour weeks. If the marginal utility of the extra $30,000 is negated by the loss of personal time, the net benefit is negative.
• Marketability: If the startup folds in 12 months, will the experience gained be transferable to a Tier-1 agency?

Unconsidered Alternative

Counter-offer the current firm with the startup’s salary figure. This forces the manager to prove the promotion is real or reveals that they have no intention of matching market rates.

Verdict: APPROVED FOR LEADERSHIP REVIEW