Glossary # Co-founder glossary: domains, money, equity and team rules 81 terms that co-founders and small project teams run into, in plain English. Each one has a short definition and a link to the guide or tool that goes deeper. By Matt Warcholinski, co-founder of Brainhub ยท Updated 15 November 2026 **General definitions, not legal advice.** Rules differ by country, provider and agreement. For anything that involves ownership, equity or tax, check with a professional. ## Jump to a topic - [Domains and DNS](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#domains) (12) - [Accounts and access](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#access) (17) - [Money and costs](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#money) (15) - [Equity and agreements](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#equity) (21) - [Team rules and planning](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#team) (15) - [AI and agents](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#ai) (1) ## All terms, A to Z - [Account owner](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#account-owner) - [Accountable](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#accountable) - [Admin](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#admin) - [Auth code](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#auth-code) - [Auto-renew](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#auto-renew) - [Backup admin](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#backup-admin) - [Bootstrapping](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#bootstrapping) - [Budget](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#budget) - [Burn rate](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#burn-rate) - [Bus factor](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#bus-factor) - [Cap table](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#cap-table) - [Cliff](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#cliff) - [Co-founder](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#co-founder) - [Cost-sharing agreement](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#cost-sharing-agreement) - [Decision log](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#decision-log) - [Deliverable](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#deliverable) - [Dilution](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#dilution) - [DNS](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#dns) - [DNS record](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#dns-record) - [Domain lock](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#domain-lock) - [Domain transfer](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#domain-transfer) - [Equity](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#equity) - [Equity split](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#equity-split) - [Facebook Page admin](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#facebook-page-admin) - [Founders agreement](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#founders-agreement) - [Good leaver and bad leaver](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#good-leaver-and-bad-leaver) - [Hackathon](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#hackathon) - [Handover](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#handover) - [Intellectual property](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#intellectual-property) - [Invoice and receipt](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#invoice-and-receipt) - [IP assignment](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#ip-assignment) - [Least privilege](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#least-privilege) - [Ledger](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#ledger) - [License](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#license) - [MCP](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#mcp) - [Milestone](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#milestone) - [Monthly equivalent](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#monthly-equivalent) - [Multi-currency costs](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#multi-currency-costs) - [MVP](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#mvp) - [Nameserver](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#nameserver) - [NDA](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#nda) - [Offboarding](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#offboarding) - [Organisation account](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#organisation-account) - [Out of scope](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#out-of-scope) - [Partnership agreement](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#partnership-agreement) - [Password manager](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#password-manager) - [Personal access token](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#personal-access-token) - [Post-mortem](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#post-mortem) - [Project charter](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#project-charter) - [RACI](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#raci) - [Recovery code](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#recovery-code) - [Recovery email](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#recovery-email) - [Registrant](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#registrant) - [Registrar](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#registrar) - [Reimbursement](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#reimbursement) - [Renewal date](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#renewal-date) - [Repository](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#repository) - [Runbook](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#runbook) - [Runway](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#runway) - [SaaS](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#saas) - [Scope](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#scope) - [Settle up](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#settle-up) - [Share](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#share) - [Shared expense](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#shared-expense) - [Shareholder agreement](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#shareholder-agreement) - [Side project](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#side-project) - [Single point of failure](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#single-point-of-failure) - [Spending limit](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#spending-limit) - [Split ratio](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#split-ratio) - [Stakeholder](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#stakeholder) - [Stop rule](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#stop-rule) - [Subscription](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#subscription) - [Sweat equity](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#sweat-equity) - [Team charter](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#team-charter) - [TTL](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#ttl) - [Two-factor authentication](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#two-factor-authentication) - [User access review](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#user-access-review) - [Vesting](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#vesting) - [WHOIS and RDAP](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#whois-and-rdap) - [Working agreement](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#working-agreement) - [Yearly cash due](https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary#yearly-cash-due) ## Domains and DNS The terms behind owning, moving and keeping a domain name. ### Registrant The person or company listed as the holder of a domain name. The registrar treats the registrant as the owner, not whoever set the domain up or pays for it. See: [Who owns the domain when co-founders split](https://whoownswhat.xyz/guides/who-owns-the-domain-when-cofounders-split) ### Registrar The company where you register and manage a domain. You can move a domain from one registrar to another. Each registrar has its own settings pages and transfer steps. See: [Transfer a domain from GoDaddy](https://whoownswhat.xyz/guides/transfer-domain-godaddy), [Transfer a domain from Namecheap](https://whoownswhat.xyz/guides/transfer-domain-namecheap), [Transfer a domain from Cloudflare](https://whoownswhat.xyz/guides/transfer-domain-cloudflare) ### Domain transfer Moving a domain to another registrar, or changing the registrant to a different person or company. These are two separate actions with different steps, so check which one you need before you start. See: [Who owns the domain when co-founders split](https://whoownswhat.xyz/guides/who-owns-the-domain-when-cofounders-split), [Handover checklist](https://whoownswhat.xyz/tools/handover-checklist) ### Domain lock A registrar setting that blocks a domain from being moved to another registrar. It protects against unauthorised transfers. You normally unlock the domain before you start a transfer. ### Auth code A secret code from the current registrar that the new registrar asks for to accept a transfer. Also called an EPP code. Treat it like a password and give it only to the registrar receiving the domain. ### WHOIS and RDAP Public lookup services that show registration data for a domain, often with personal details hidden. RDAP is the newer protocol meant to replace WHOIS. A lookup usually shows the registrar and the expiry date, which is enough to find out where a domain lives. See: [Domain safety check](https://whoownswhat.xyz/tools/domain-safety-check) ### DNS The system that turns a domain name into the addresses of your website, email and other services. The settings are called DNS records. They live at a DNS host, which may not be your registrar. ### DNS record One entry in a domain's DNS settings. An A record points the name to a server, an MX record says where email goes. If the records are lost or changed by mistake, the site or the email can stop working. ### Nameserver A server that holds the DNS records for a domain. The registrar's settings say which nameservers a domain uses. Changing them moves control of the DNS to another provider. ### TTL Time to live. It says, in seconds, how long other systems may keep an old DNS answer before asking again. Lowering the TTL before a change makes the change spread faster. ### Auto-renew A setting that renews a domain or a subscription before it expires. It only works if the payment method is valid and someone reads the reminder emails. Note the renewal date even if auto-renew is on. See: [Side project budget planner](https://whoownswhat.xyz/tools/side-project-budget-template) ### Renewal date The day a domain or subscription must be paid again. Yearly renewals are easy to forget because they come once a year. Write each one next to the cost, and name who pays. See: [Project ledger](https://whoownswhat.xyz/tools/project-ledger-sheet) ## Accounts and access Who can log in, who can recover, and what happens when someone leaves. ### Account owner The person with top-level control of an account, including billing and deletion. Many services allow only one owner, so who it is matters. See: [Access audit](https://whoownswhat.xyz/tools/access-audit) ### Admin A user who can manage settings and members. An admin may not control billing or be able to delete the account. What an admin can do depends on the service. See: [Does a second admin protect you?](https://whoownswhat.xyz/guides/does-a-second-domain-admin-protect-you) ### Backup admin A second person with enough rights to run and recover an account if the owner is unavailable. Listing someone as a backup does not prove they can recover it. Test it. See: [Does a second admin protect you?](https://whoownswhat.xyz/guides/does-a-second-domain-admin-protect-you), [Bus factor](https://whoownswhat.xyz/guides/bus-factor) ### Recovery email The address a service uses to reset access to an account. If it is one person's private inbox, that person is a single point of failure. See: [Access audit](https://whoownswhat.xyz/tools/access-audit) ### Recovery code A backup code you save in advance so you can sign in without your second factor, for example after losing a phone. Most services let each code be used once. Store them where the other person can reach them in an emergency. ### Two-factor authentication A second proof of identity next to the password, such as a code from an app or a hardware key. Often shortened to 2FA. If the one phone that holds the codes is lost, 2FA can lock the whole team out. See: [Access audit](https://whoownswhat.xyz/tools/access-audit) ### Password manager A tool that stores passwords and lets a team share some of them in a shared vault. It is a safer way to share access than a chat message. Keep recovery codes in it too. ### Least privilege Giving each person only the access they need for their role. It limits damage from mistakes and makes offboarding simpler. See: [User access review checklist](https://whoownswhat.xyz/tools/user-access-review-checklist) ### User access review A regular check that each person's access still matches their role, and that nobody keeps access they no longer need. See: [User access review checklist](https://whoownswhat.xyz/tools/user-access-review-checklist) ### Offboarding Removing a person's access and moving everything they own to someone else when they leave. Start with the accounts that cost money or hold customer data. See: [If a co-founder leaves](https://whoownswhat.xyz/tools/if-cofounder-leaves), [Handover checklist](https://whoownswhat.xyz/tools/handover-checklist) ### Handover Passing a project, an account or a responsibility to someone else, with proof that the new person can act. A handover is finished when the new person has done the task, not when the old one has explained it. See: [Project handover document](https://whoownswhat.xyz/guides/project-handover-document-template), [Handover checklist](https://whoownswhat.xyz/tools/handover-checklist) ### Single point of failure One person or one thing the project cannot run without. A domain registered only under one person's login is an example. See: [Bus factor](https://whoownswhat.xyz/guides/bus-factor) ### Bus factor The number of people who could be gone before a project stops. In a two-person project it is often one. To lower it, check that the other person can really do each job. See: [Bus factor guide](https://whoownswhat.xyz/guides/bus-factor) ### Repository The place where a project's code and its history are stored. On a hosting service it belongs to a user or to an organisation. ### Organisation account A shared account on a service such as GitHub that owns repositories, so that no single person owns the code. Moving a project's repositories into one is a common first step for a team. ### Personal access token A key that lets a script or tool act as a user on a service without a password. Tokens tied to one person can stop working when that person leaves, so note where they are used. ### Facebook Page admin A person with a role on a Facebook Page. Page roles have different powers, and a Page with only one full admin is fragile. See: [Remove an admin from a Facebook Page](https://whoownswhat.xyz/guides/remove-admin-from-facebook-page) ## Money and costs Planning, logging and settling shared costs. ### Ledger A running record of costs: what was bought, who paid, how much and when. A ledger shows actual payments, not plans. See: [Project ledger](https://whoownswhat.xyz/tools/project-ledger-sheet) ### Shared expense A cost the project needs and the partners split, such as a domain, hosting or a software plan. Personal tools stay out. See: [Split SaaS costs between co-founders](https://whoownswhat.xyz/guides/split-saas-costs-between-cofounders) ### Split ratio The share of each cost that each person pays, for example 50/50 or 70/30. Agree it once and write it down. If the split changes, record the date it changed. See: [Cost split calculator](https://whoownswhat.xyz/tools/cost-split-calculator) ### Settle up Paying the balance so nobody owes anyone. Settle from real payments, not from the budget, because prices change and bills arrive late. See: [Cost split calculator](https://whoownswhat.xyz/tools/cost-split-calculator) ### Reimbursement Paying back a person who covered a project cost from their own money. Keep the invoice and note the date. ### Monthly equivalent A yearly cost divided by 12, so it can be compared with monthly costs. It is a planning number. The yearly bill still arrives in one piece. See: [Side project budget planner](https://whoownswhat.xyz/tools/side-project-budget-template) ### Yearly cash due What you will actually pay over twelve months. In the month a yearly bill lands, cash out is higher than the monthly equivalent suggests. See: [Side project budget planner](https://whoownswhat.xyz/tools/side-project-budget-template) ### Budget The amount you plan to spend, set before you commit. A budget has a cap and is reviewed at milestones. See: [Side project budget planner](https://whoownswhat.xyz/tools/side-project-budget-template), [Project charter](https://whoownswhat.xyz/tools/project-charter-template) ### Spending limit An amount above which both partners must agree before anything is paid. Choose your own line and write it in the team charter. See: [Team charter](https://whoownswhat.xyz/tools/team-charter-template) ### Burn rate The money a project spends each month. If you have income, use the net amount: spending minus income. ### Runway How many months the money lasts at the current burn rate. It is the cash you have divided by the monthly burn. ### SaaS Software as a service: software you pay for by subscription instead of owning it. Hosting, design tools and AI plans are typical examples for a small project. See: [Split SaaS costs between co-founders](https://whoownswhat.xyz/guides/split-saas-costs-between-cofounders) ### Subscription A cost that repeats, monthly or yearly. List each one with its renewal date, who pays and how to cancel. See: [Project ledger](https://whoownswhat.xyz/tools/project-ledger-sheet) ### Invoice and receipt An invoice is a request for payment. A receipt is proof that you paid. Keep both for shared costs, because they show who paid and when. ### Multi-currency costs Costs paid in different currencies. Log each in its own currency. If you want one total, convert at a rate you both agree on and note the date. See: [Side project budget planner](https://whoownswhat.xyz/tools/side-project-budget-template) ## Equity and agreements Ownership, earning it over time and writing it down. ### Co-founder A person who starts a project or company together with others and shares its risks and rewards. Being a co-founder says nothing about who owns what. That needs an agreement. See: [Founders agreement template](https://whoownswhat.xyz/tools/founder-agreement-template) ### Founders agreement A written agreement between co-founders about shares, roles, costs, accounts and what happens if someone leaves. For a side project it can be one page. It is not a substitute for legal advice. See: [Founders agreement template](https://whoownswhat.xyz/tools/founder-agreement-template), [Side project with a partner and no company](https://whoownswhat.xyz/guides/side-project-with-a-partner-no-company) ### Equity Ownership in a company, usually held as shares. Before a company exists, people split a project informally, and that split should still be written down. See: [Equity split calculator](https://whoownswhat.xyz/tools/equity-split-calculator) ### Share One unit of ownership in a company. A person's percentage is their shares divided by all shares. ### Equity split How ownership is divided between founders. There is no universal right split. Contributions, time, money and risk all play a part. See: [Equity split calculator](https://whoownswhat.xyz/tools/equity-split-calculator) ### Sweat equity Ownership earned with work instead of money. It needs clear terms, because work is hard to value after the fact. See: [Sweat equity explained](https://whoownswhat.xyz/guides/sweat-equity-explained) ### Vesting Earning ownership over time instead of receiving it all at once. If a person leaves early, they keep only what has vested. The terms are set in the agreement. See: [Founder vesting explained](https://whoownswhat.xyz/guides/founder-vesting-schedule-explained) ### Cliff A minimum period that must pass before any ownership vests. A common setup is a one-year cliff inside a four-year schedule, but the numbers are a choice, not a rule. See: [Founder vesting explained](https://whoownswhat.xyz/guides/founder-vesting-schedule-explained) ### Good leaver and bad leaver Terms in some agreements that decide what a departing person keeps depending on why they leave. What counts as each is defined in the agreement, so it needs to be written clearly. See: [If a co-founder leaves](https://whoownswhat.xyz/tools/if-cofounder-leaves) ### Cap table A table that shows who owns how much of a company. It changes when new shares are issued or when someone's shares vest. ### Dilution The drop in a person's ownership percentage when new shares are issued to someone else. Their share count stays the same, but the total grows. ### Shareholder agreement An agreement between the owners of a company about how it is run and what happens if an owner leaves or sells. It applies once a company exists. See: [Founders agreement template](https://whoownswhat.xyz/tools/founder-agreement-template) ### Partnership agreement An agreement between partners who run a business together. Rules differ by country and by the form of the business, so get advice before relying on a template. See: [Side project with a partner and no company](https://whoownswhat.xyz/guides/side-project-with-a-partner-no-company) ### Intellectual property Creations that can be owned, such as code, designs, a brand name or content. Who owns the IP in a project is not automatic. It should be written down. ### IP assignment A written transfer of ownership of intellectual property from one person to another, for example from a founder to the company. Without one, the author may keep the rights, depending on local law and any employment terms. See: [Co-founder dispute and access](https://whoownswhat.xyz/guides/cofounder-dispute-and-access) ### License Permission to use something without owning it. Open source code comes with a license that says what others may do with it. ### NDA Non-disclosure agreement: a promise not to share certain information. Use one when you share something sensitive with someone outside the project. ### Bootstrapping Building a business with your own money and revenue, without outside investment. ### Side project A project you work on next to a job or studies, often with a partner. Money, code and accounts can still become shared, so agree on them early. See: [Side project with a partner and no company](https://whoownswhat.xyz/guides/side-project-with-a-partner-no-company) ### Hackathon A short event where teams build a project in a day or a weekend. Ownership of the result, the costs and the accounts need agreeing before the event ends. See: [Hackathon kit](https://whoownswhat.xyz/hackathon), [Hackathon checklist](https://whoownswhat.xyz/guides/hackathon-checklist) ### MVP Minimum viable product: the smallest version of a product that you can put in front of real users to learn from. It is a test, not a finished product. See: [Project charter](https://whoownswhat.xyz/tools/project-charter-template) ## Team rules and planning How a small team decides, assigns work and stops. ### RACI A table that shows, for each task, who is Responsible (does it), Accountable (answers for it), Consulted (gives input) and Informed (is told). There is one A per task. See: [RACI matrix template](https://whoownswhat.xyz/tools/raci-matrix-template), [Responsibility matrix for small teams](https://whoownswhat.xyz/guides/responsibility-matrix-for-small-teams) ### Accountable The one person who makes the final call on a task and answers for the result. Two accountable people on one task usually means nobody is. See: [RACI matrix template](https://whoownswhat.xyz/tools/raci-matrix-template) ### Team charter A short agreement about how a team works: who decides, how money is approved, and how disagreements are handled. It is about the people. See: [Team charter template](https://whoownswhat.xyz/tools/team-charter-template), [Team charter vs project charter](https://whoownswhat.xyz/guides/team-charter-vs-project-charter) ### Project charter A short document that defines a project before work starts: goal, scope, deliverables, budget, milestones, risks and a stop rule. It is about the work. See: [Project charter template](https://whoownswhat.xyz/tools/project-charter-template), [Team charter vs project charter](https://whoownswhat.xyz/guides/team-charter-vs-project-charter) ### Working agreement Another name for a team charter, common in software teams. It records how the team works together day to day. See: [Team charter template](https://whoownswhat.xyz/tools/team-charter-template) ### Decision log A list of what you decided, why, who agreed and when to review it. Log decisions about money and ownership. Skip small, reversible ones. See: [Decision log template](https://whoownswhat.xyz/tools/decision-log-template) ### Scope What a project includes. A clear scope says what is in and, just as important, what is out. See: [Project charter template](https://whoownswhat.xyz/tools/project-charter-template) ### Out of scope What a project will not do. Writing it down first prevents many arguments later. See: [Project charter template](https://whoownswhat.xyz/tools/project-charter-template) ### Deliverable A thing that exists at the end of a piece of work, such as a live page or a working form. It is checkable: you can say whether it exists. See: [Project charter template](https://whoownswhat.xyz/tools/project-charter-template) ### Milestone A dated checkpoint in a project. Review the budget and the risks at each one. See: [Project charter template](https://whoownswhat.xyz/tools/project-charter-template) ### Stakeholder Anyone affected by a project or able to affect it, such as a customer, a partner or an investor. ### Stop rule A condition you agree in advance that means you stop or change course, such as passing the budget cap. Set it when you are calm, not in the middle of a dispute. See: [Project charter template](https://whoownswhat.xyz/tools/project-charter-template) ### Runbook A short written guide for a recurring task, such as how to deploy or how to renew the domain. It lets another person do the job without asking. See: [Bus factor](https://whoownswhat.xyz/guides/bus-factor) ### Post-mortem A review after something went wrong, focused on what happened and how to prevent it. It looks at the process, not at who to blame. ### Cost-sharing agreement A written agreement on how project costs are split and settled between partners. See: [Founders agreement template](https://whoownswhat.xyz/tools/founder-agreement-template), [Cost split calculator](https://whoownswhat.xyz/tools/cost-split-calculator) ## AI and agents Terms used on the product and developer pages. ### MCP Model Context Protocol: a standard way for AI assistants to use tools and data from other apps. It lets an assistant read or write in a connected service when you allow it. See: [MCP and API](https://whoownswhat.xyz/mcp) ## Missing a term? Tell us which word tripped you up on the [contact page](https://whoownswhat.xyz/contact). We add terms as we publish new guides and tools. **Keep track of who owns what, who pays and who can recover each account in one place.** [Start free in the app](https://whoownswhat.xyz/app) About the author I'm **Matt Warcholinski**. I co-founded Brainhub, a software agency. I bootstrapped it from 3 to 100+ people and $8M a year, with no outside funding. Then I sold it. Due diligence showed me how much unclear ownership of code, domains and accounts can cost a deal. Before that I was an R&D engineer at BMW, MTU Aero Engines and GE Energy. I've been a founder for 15+ years. I host the [Better Tech Leadership podcast](https://brainhub.eu/better-tech-leadership): 100+ conversations with tech leaders running $10M+ companies. I wrote these guides because I wish I'd had them when I split access, equity and assets with partners. Find me on [X](https://x.com/mwarcholinski). --- Source: https://whoownswhat.xyz/glossary Agent index: https://whoownswhat.xyz/llms.txt