Mainstay × Ground Rush Labs
For Rod Wave · Mike Johnson · May 2026

The Terms

How this
works.

Two years. Five gates. I run point on Mainstay Tech, I ship Virgo TV, I hit the numbers. If I don’t, I don’t get paid the full ride. Simple as that.

↩ Back to proposal

The Deal

24 months to build Mainstay Tech into a real division of Mainstay Inc. — one that ships product, drives revenue, and pays for itself. Virgo TV is the flagship, not the finish line.

My base pay
$250K
Per year. Keeps the lights on while I build. Same number Year 1 and Year 2.

My equity
15%
Of Mainstay Tech. None of it shows up day one — I unlock it by hitting gates.

Bonus pool if I deliver
+ $250K
On top of base. Earned only if I hit every milestone. Miss them, I leave money on the table.

How I Get Paid

Plain math, no surprises.

Base salary holds the floor. Bonuses are earned at the gates. Equity is the big bet — only worth something if Mainstay Tech becomes something real.

01
Base salary
$250K a year, paid out monthly. Year 1 and Year 2.
$500KOver 24 months
02
Bonus pool
Earned at each gate. $25K + $50K + $75K + $100K = up to $250K if I hit all four.
+ $250KIf I deliver
03
Equity (15%)
Vests in 4 chunks of 3.75%. Tied to the gates below. Only earned if I deliver.
15%The bet

Total cash over 24 months — if I hit every gate
$750K

The Gates

Four checkpoints. Four payouts.

My 15% doesn’t show up the day I sign. It shows up when I hit the numbers. Miss a gate bad? You and me sit down before the next one unlocks.

Month 6Gate 1

Virgo TV live to your inner circle.

500 paying fans. First exclusive drop. Billing wired. Mobile-ready. I’ve proven the platform works.

+ 3.75%Equity unlocks

Month 12Gate 2

Public launch. 2,500 paying fans.

Doors open. Marketing tuned. First flagship release drops. I’ve proven we can grow the base.

+ 3.75%Equity unlocks

Month 18Gate 3

5,000 paying fans. Platform pays its own bills.

Multi-region streaming live. Virgo TV revenue covers Virgo TV costs. I’ve proven the model works.

+ 3.75%Equity unlocks

Month 24Gate 4

10,000 paying fans. Division turns a profit.

Mainstay Tech covers itself plus funds the next product. I’ve delivered the whole thing.

+ 3.75%Equity unlocks

Skin In The Game

What I put on the line, so you know I’m serious.

A real partner has something to lose. Here’s mine.

Budget

Go over budget by more than 15% without your say-so?

Comes off my bonus pool first. I don’t get paid the extra if I spend the extra.

Departure

If I leave early, I keep what I’ve earned. You keep what I haven’t.

Month 6 hit = 3.75% mine. Month 12 = 7.5%. Month 18 = 11.25%. Month 24 = full 15%. Anything I haven’t unlocked at the gates stays with the company. No fight over equity that wasn’t delivered on.

Misses

Miss a gate by half or more?

We sit down and figure out what’s wrong before the next gate’s equity unlocks. Normal subscription noise doesn’t pause anything — a real miss does.

Bottom Line

I deliver,we both win.

Mike Johnson · President, Mainstay Tech
Real Talk · Real Terms