I Need to Ask for Something From My Bosses. It's Way More Than a Promotion.

"Would it be ridiculous for me to ask them if I could also be a partner? I don't even really know what that would mean financially, for me or for the business. I'm not terribly money-motivated here, I just mostly want to be officially a part of this firm in the way I know I am creatively."

A long-tenured creative leader at a small advertising firm works closely with two founders and feels equal in strategic creative direction and compensation. Despite this, the person feels excluded from ownership and decision-making outside day-to-day work, perceiving reminders that they remain an employee rather than a partner. The person has not raised the issue with the founders to avoid seeming ungrateful, but wants more equal standing and official inclusion. The person is not primarily motivated by money, but wants recognition of partnership in the way they contribute creatively. The question is whether it is appropriate to ask to become a partner and what that would mean financially and for the business.

Read at Slate Magazine