A business founder made waves recently by distributing $240 million of sale proceeds to his team—about $443,000 per employee on average. The twist? Those who'd been around longest got the fattest checks.

This isn't just feel-good capitalism. It's a masterclass in incentive alignment. When founders tie wealth distribution to tenure, they're essentially quantifying loyalty and long-term commitment. The message: stick with the mission, share the upside.

Think about it differently—what if more exits worked this way? Not everyone gets the same slice; effort and duration determine your piece. It mirrors how successful DAOs and crypto protocols reward early contributors versus newcomers. Alignment of interests, transparent payout, merit-based distribution.

The psychology matters too. Employees become stakeholders in outcomes, not just wage-earners. Whether it's a traditional business or a decentralized protocol, the principle holds: people optimize for what you incentivize.