The Pilot Blog

Financial tips and best practices for growing businesses

43% founder pay cut: the new reality of startup compensation in 2025

Founder pay is down 43% in 2025 as capital efficiency becomes critical for startups. Explore trends, benchmarks, and expert insights in Pilot’s Founder Salary Report to guide your compensation strategy.

For Founders
Waseem Daher
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Startups 101
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Your Annual Business Tax Checklist

Taxes
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What should you pay yourself as an AI founder?

AI Startups
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The bookkeeping checklist every SMB should be following

Bookkeeping
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What’s included in bookkeeping services? A complete breakdown

Back Office Operations
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How a fractional COO can help you set up your business for growth

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When to fire a client you actually like

Creative Agencies
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Bench Accounting: Reviews, Features, and Alternatives

Bookkeeping
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Bench vs. Pilot: A comprehensive comparison for business owners

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How to automate your bookkeeping (without doing it all yourself)

Bookkeeping
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Medtech fundraising advice from a CFO

Life Sciences
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Double-entry vs. single-entry bookkeeping: what’s the difference?

Back Office Operations
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20+ bookkeeping software options worth your time (and how to pick one)

Back Office Operations
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How to choose the right accounting software for your business

Back Office Operations
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How to tell a better value story for your healthtech startup

Finances & Fundraising
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What should you pay yourself as a medtech or healthtech founder?

Life Sciences
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How much do bookkeepers charge? A state-by-state breakdown

Bookkeeping
Pilot Team

Bookkeeping vs. accounting: which one do you really need?

Bookkeeping
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A complete small business finance starter kit

SMB
Sara Whitaker Eggers

43% founder pay cut: the new reality of startup compensation in 2025

For Founders
Waseem Daher

Which AI startup founders earn the most?

For Founders
Pilot Team

Founder salaries fell 43%—but why?

For Founders
Pilot Team

Contract or full-time? A hiring guide for creative agencies

Creative Agencies
Pilot Team

80% utilization makes agencies more profitable—here’s why

Creative Agencies
Pilot Team

How to stop scope creep from wrecking your agency’s profits

Creative Agencies
Pilot Team

The ultimate small business tax deduction guide (what you can really write-off)

Taxes
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Goldilocks fine print: Customer terms that build trust and fuel growth

For Founders
Mariana Antcheva

Understanding startup valuations: A CFO’s guide for founders

For Founders
Cole Levin

Raising as an AI startup? Make your case with 3 metrics

For Founders
Cole Levin

You almost certainly don't have to do a BOI filing anymore

Back Office Operations
Waseem Daher

What is the qualified small business stock (QSBS)? Millions in tax savings, maybe

Startups 101
Hudson Bova

Timeless treasury management advice from a CFO

For Founders
Cole Levin
tax extension how to

How to file a business tax extension in 2025 and avoid penalties

Taxes
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Why an invoice approval process could save you $49,860

Risk and Security
Ashley Schagrin

5 errors that hold food and beverage companies back

Back Office Operations
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Should your recruiting firm hire full-time or part-time?

SMB
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Fundraising in 2025? The 5 Key VC Market Trends You Need to Know

Finances & Fundraising
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Struggling to increase your agency’s revenue? Try these 3 tips

Creative Agencies
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How to price your consulting services for maximum profit

Creative Agencies
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How to find your issued share count

Taxes
Waseem Daher

How to File Your Delaware Franchise Tax On Time

Taxes
Waseem Daher

Just starting a business? Your top 10 organizational questions answered

Back Office Operations
Justin Wiguna

Bench accounting was acquired. It’s a wild reminder to revisit your cash flow forecast

Finances & Fundraising
Hudson Bova

Cut your monthly business expenses with our 10-item “no loss” checklist

For Founders
Pilot Team

Pilot + Mosey: Your Complete State Tax Filing Solution

Taxes
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Bench shutdown FAQ

Bookkeeping
Waseem Daher

An end-of-year checklist that might save you 260 hours next year

Back Office Operations
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5 Things to Add to Your End-of-Year Checklist

Back Office Operations
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Startup Tax Prep: How to Find the Right Tax Provider

Taxes
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What is the BOI filing?

Back Office Operations
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5 Things to Add to Your End-of-Year Checklist

Back Office Operations
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How to file a 1099-NEC form for vendors, contractors, and freelancers

Taxes
Darin Moriki

5 Trends You Need to Know: VC Market Insights Q3 2024

Finances & Fundraising
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How to File Your Startup Taxes the Right Way

Taxes
Pilot Team

Get the Guide to Claiming the R&D Tax Credit

Taxes
Pilot Team

Instructions for Filling Out Form 1099-NEC

Bookkeeping
Pilot Team

Bookkeeping and Taxes: When Is It Time to Stop DIY?

Bookkeeping
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Pilot R&D Tax Credit: How It Works

Taxes
Laura Knight

Your Tax Questions Answered

Taxes
Pilot Team

How to Evaluate an R&D Tax Credit Provider: 3 Questions to Ask

Taxes
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So, You Raised a Series A – Now What?

For Founders
Gillian O'Brien

Burn Rate Calculator: Calculate Your Burn Rate and Startup Runway

Finances & Fundraising
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Setting Up a Startup Budget

Finances & Fundraising
Pilot Team

Pilot Guide: The Annual Planning Playbook

Finances & Fundraising
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What Is a Fractional CFO and Do I Need One?

Finances & Fundraising
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Annual Budgeting Guide

Finances & Fundraising
Pilot Team

New: Introducing Live Reports in Pilot

Pilot Product
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Pilot Guide: Recommended Financial Stack for Startups

Startups 101
Waseem Daher

Announcing the 4th Annual Founder Salary Report

For Founders
Waseem Daher

VC Market Update: Q1 2024

Finances & Fundraising
Pilot Team

How to File Your Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) Report On Time

Back Office Operations
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Personal Finance for Founders: Things to Keep in Mind

For Founders
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Lessons From Failure: What To Do When It’s Not Working

For Founders
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VC Market Update: Q4 2023

Finances & Fundraising
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Cash Management for Startup Founders

Finances & Fundraising
Waseem Daher

Pilot Guide: Recommended Financial Stack for Law Firms

Back Office Operations
Waseem Daher

Getting a Competitive Interest Rate for Your Startup Capital

Finances & Fundraising
Waseem Daher

Top 5 Tax Filing Services

Back Office Operations
Pilot Team

Top 5 Payroll Management Services

Back Office Operations
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Top 5 Bookkeeping Audit Software

Bookkeeping
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Instructions for Filling Out Form 941

Taxes
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What is the Form 2210?

Taxes
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How to Fill Form 8995

Taxes
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What Are the Benefits of an 83b Election?

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6 E-Commerce KPI Metrics You Need to Monitor

Back Office Operations
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Instructions for Filling Out Form 8801

Bookkeeping
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How to Get the Most from Your Startup’s Board

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Paul Jun

Who’s Meta CFO? Unveiling the Career of Susan Li

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Pilot Team

The 5 Best Alternatives to Yogi CPA in 2025

Bookkeeping
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Is Once per Year Bookkeeping a Good Idea?

Bookkeeping
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Who’s PayPal CFO? Unveiling the Career of Jamie Miller

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Top 5 Bank Reconciliation Software

Bookkeeping
Pilot Team

The 5 Best Alternatives to AirCFO in 2025

Bookkeeping
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What Chart of Accounts Should I Actually Use in Quickbooks (and a template you can download)

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The 5 Best Alternatives to Zeni in 2025

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What is the Form 2290?

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The 5 Best Alternatives to Kruze Consulting in 2024

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Instructions for Filling Out Form 8082

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The 5 Best Alternatives to Furey in 2025

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Top 5 Risk Assessment Software

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