Three pieces. Suncraft pays the bills. Sefid is the long bet. Aither is the safety net. By 2027 we're at $50k a month. By 2032 we're free.
Sunspell / Suncraft plan · with David · confidentialCover
The plan01 / 38
Where we're headed · and how we get there in four steps
What we're building.
Three companies. Suncraft is the design studio — the cash. Sefid is the long bet — the payoff. Aither is what's already in the bank — the cushion. Every slide after this fits into one of the four steps below.
Where we want to be by 2032.
Income
$50k/mo
into the household, every month, after tax
Wealth
$25M+
in the bank, mostly from a Sefid sale
Family
Two kids
growing up out of the city · plus four homes
Time
Optional
Jasmine off the clock by late 2028
How to read this. Twenty-five more slides cover the four steps, the entity structure + formation sequence + QSBS architecture, the Aither reserve, where we are now, how we make money, sales, investors, hires, the next six months, the bare minimum, the fallback, the risk register, the three scenarios, the long arc, the professional team to engage, and what we decide together. Every slide has chips you can tap for more.
Life by 203202 / 38
The actual life behind the numbers · the qualitative side
What the life actually looks like.
The numbers are the means. This is the end. The life we're going for, year by year.
Two weddings · 2027Lake Como, Italy + an upstate NY celebration.
NYC apartment · 2028Family-size. Walking distance to parks.
Two kids · 2028 + 2030Close to nature, close to grandparents.
Jasmine work-optional · late 2028Off the clock. On Sefid by choice, not need.
Hamptons beach house · 2031After Sefid liquidity hits.
Japan · Karuizawa · 2032Long summers. Real second home.
Greece · 2033-2034The fourth home. Scouting after the wedding.
Non-negotiables, the whole way. Time together, not optimized. Health (sleep, food, sun) never traded. Taste never sold for speed.
Why getting married pays03 / 38
October 2027 isn't just personal · it unlocks the biggest tax + wealth tools
Getting married is also the smartest tax move.
Marriage unlocks tools we can't touch as partners. Most matter for the $25M+ exit by 2032. The wedding date is a tax milestone too — and when we marry, relative to the Sefid priced seed, changes how much exit wealth we can shield.
Filing + income tax
Saves us $20-50k a year.
Joint filing brackets stretch higher · $20-50k/yr saved at our income
Unlimited spousal transfers · §1041 · move cash + equity tax-free between us
$36k/yr combined annual exclusion gifts to kids' trusts
One health plan, one premium · ~$5-15k/yr
Estate + wealth transfer · the big ones
Shields $5-15M+ when we sell.
SLAT — Spousal Lifetime Access Trust · married-only · moves Sefid equity out of Jasmine's estate while David retains access · shields $5-15M+
Federal estate portability · $13.99M each → $27.98M combined exemption · cannot port as singles
Dynasty + GST trust · stack both exemptions · ~$28M generation-skipping potential before the federal sunset (2025-2026 window)
Property + insurance
Cleaner everything.
$500k joint home-sale exclusion · §121 · vs $250k single · matters for NYC apt resale
Joint mortgage qualification · NYC apt 2028 easier to underwrite
ILIT (Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust) · key-person policy on Jasmine · outside the estate
Spousal beneficiary on retirement accounts · 401k/IRA stretch + rollover rights
Timing trap. The Sefid priced seed (Q2-Q3 2027) bumps Sefid's valuation. Moving shares into a SLAT before the seed shields ~5-10× more wealth per dollar of exemption than moving them after. Two options: marry earlier than Oct 2027, or use pre-marriage tools (GRAT, IDGT) to lock low-valuation transfers in ahead of the round. Estate attorney to walk us through it.
The four steps04 / 38
From now through 2032 · in four stages
Four steps to get there.
Each step opens the next. Foundation in 2026. Hand-off and wedding in 2027. Family and growth through 2030. Liquidity and freedom by 2032.
1
Now → end of 2026
Set the foundation.
Suncraft humming on 5-6 clients. Studio Lead hired so I'm not the bottleneck. First Sefid money in the bank. November is our first $50k month at home.
2
2027 · Wedding year
Hand off, raise, marry.
Studio Lead running things on their own. I'm fully on Sefid. Bigger Sefid round closes. Two weddings — Lake Como + upstate NY.
3
2028 → 2030 · Family years
Two kids, a real home.
NYC apartment, two kids, Sefid growing. I'm work-optional by late 2028. Home runs $55-70k/month.
4
2031 → 2032 · The exit
Sell Sefid. Be free.
Sefid exit window opens. $25M+ in the bank. Hamptons beach house. Japan home in 2032. Greece a year or two after.
How it's set up05 / 38
Three companies · one household · shared cash and shared costs
How it's all set up.
Three companies, one household. Each has a job. Each carries its own costs. That's what makes $50k a month at home cheaper than it sounds.
The structure — three legal entities + Sunspell as a brand umbrella.
Suncraft · S-corp
The cash now.
The studio. Real clients, real revenue today. Pays salary + profit share into the household monthly.
Not yet formedFile DE Inc + S-elect within 30 days of start
Sefid · standalone DE C-corp
The long bet.
Owned directly by me, not by Sunspell. Wealth grows here on paper. The real cash hits when Sefid sells in 2031-2032 with §1202 QSBS exclusion.
Not yet formedFile DE C-corp by Aug 1 · §83(b) within 30 days
Aither · C-corp (already exists)
The safety net.
$1.29M cash reserve from earlier wins. Earns yield. Currently held inside a C-corp — tax-inefficient for passive income (21% fed + 8.85% NYC GCT, then dividend tax to get it out).
C-corp todayConversion options need tax attorney · liquidate? convert? hold?
Sunspell is the brand, not a legal parent. If we made Sunspell a C-corp that owns Sefid, selling Sefid stock at exit puts proceeds in Sunspell first (21% corporate tax + NY), then a dividend taxed again. §1202 QSBS exclusion never reaches me. Worth $5-15M+ to get this right. Each venture (Sefid, Seda, Sapour) is its own standalone DE C-corp owned directly.
How the money moves.
Money in · from Suncraft to household$50k/month from November onwards
Money parked · in Aither C-corp, untouched$1.29M · ~$88k/yr gross yield (net less after C-corp tax)
Money compounding · in Sefid Inc.$7.5M on paper by end of 2027
Costs spread · on each company's card$15-26k/mo of real expenses paid by businesses
Formation sequence06 / 38
90-day plan · what gets filed in what order · driven by Sefid Oct 31 close
How we form the entities, in order.
Sunspell and Suncraft aren't formed yet — both are urgent. Sefid hasn't been formed either. Aither already exists as a C-corp and needs its own conversion decision. Order matters: the Oct 31 Sefid pre-seed close is the binding deadline, everything works backward.
1 · July 15
Engage tax attorney + CPA + corporate attorney
QSBS-literate startup tax attorney (Wilson Sonsini, Gunderson, Pillsbury, Fenwick, Cooley). NYC startup CPA. Corporate equity attorney. In parallel. No paper gets filed without them.
Sets foundation
2 · Aug 1
File Sefid Inc. (Delaware C-corp, standalone)
Standalone DE C-corp — NOT a Sunspell subsidiary. Bylaws, board, founder common to me at $0.0001/share. §83(b) filed within 30 days, certified mail. 409A valuation ordered.
QSBS clock starts
3 · Aug 1
Studio Lead starts at Suncraft
Design Director joins. Frees me to move toward Sefid full-time by Q4. Hired ahead of Suncraft S-corp formation; runs through TBD payroll vehicle for 6 weeks.
Pulled forward
4 · Aug 15
File Suncraft Inc. + Form 2553 + NY CT-6 + Sunspell IP-LLC
All three urgent — none exist yet. Suncraft as Delaware Inc., federal S-election within 75 days, NY CT-6 separately (the missed step that kills NY S-status). Sunspell as IP-holding LLC owning Sun OS. RCReports comp study ordered. Valid NY S-corp by Jan 1, 2027 = NY PTET eligible.
Both ASAP
5 · Sept 30
Sun OS license agreement live + matrimonial counsel engaged
Arm's-length §1.482-4 license memo from Sunspell IP-LLC → Suncraft signed (2-6% royalty). Sefid pays nothing. Two NY matrimonial attorneys engaged — prenup drafting begins (6+ months pre-wedding).
Protects exit + marriage
6 · Oct 30
Non-grantor dynasty trust funded with Sefid shares
Estate attorney drafts. DE/SD/NV situs. Gift portion of Sefid founder shares to trust at near-zero valuation (Form 709, qualified appraisal). Separate §1202 taxpayer — additional $15M QSBS exclusion cap.
+$15M QSBS cap
7 · Oct 31
Sefid pre-seed convertible closes
$250-400k. Stock Option Plan adopted before close. ML engineer ISO grant ready for Dec 31. All structural work above is upstream of this date.
The binding deadline
⚠ · Aither
Aither is a C-corp today — conversion decision urgent
Holding passive yield inside a C-corp is tax-inefficient: 21% federal + 8.85% NYC GCT at the corp, then dividend tax to get money out. Tax attorney to model conversion options: (a) liquidate Aither C-corp (taxable on appreciated assets), (b) Form 2553 S-election (§1374 BIG tax on VOO + §1375 risk if E&P), or (c) restructure use case. Material decision; do not file anything before counsel weighs in.
Needs attorney
— · Sunspell
Sunspell entity — IP-holding LLC for Sun OS, NOT a parent C-corp
A Sunspell C-corp that owns Sefid would forfeit §1202 ($5-15M+ lost). The defensible Sunspell entity is an IP-holding LLC that owns Sun OS IP and licenses it to Suncraft at arm's-length (§1.482-4 memo, 2-6% royalty). Sefid pays no royalty. File the LLC alongside Sefid Inc. + Suncraft Inc.
By Sept 1
The credit cards07 / 38
How expenses get spread across the three companies · Augusta Rule on top
Each company has its own card.
Each company pays its own legit business expenses. This is bookkeeping, not a way to spend personal money tax-free. The household just doesn't have to cover everything out of pocket.
Company
Card
Per month
Suncraft
Amex Platinum + Gold
$8-15k
Sunspell
Brex
$5-8k
Aither
Amex Business Platinum
$2-3k
Total business spend
—
$15-26k/mo
Then there's the Augusta Rule. §280A(g) lets us rent our home for legitimate business meetings tax-free. 14-day cap is per dwelling — not per renter — so the three entities share the 14 days, not each get 14. Defensible: ~$30k a year combined at NYC market rates, properly documented (comp study, board minutes, 1099-MISC from each entity). Anything higher is the Sinopoli v. Commissioner fact pattern.
Concierge + personal services08 / 38
Compozure + the "expense everything" fantasy · what works, what doesn't
Concierge services and the "expense everything" fantasy.
David, I want to be honest about Compozure and the "just run it through the business" idea. Most of what we'd want a concierge for — house cleaning, errands, dry cleaning, personal cooking, dog care — is not deductible no matter how creatively the invoice is written. If we route it through Suncraft anyway, the IRS calls it a constructive distribution: we still pay tax on it as ordinary income at our ~48% combined marginal, the entity loses the deduction, AND it's a red flag on audit.
What IS legitimately deductible.
Service
What we can deduct
Cite
PA — business calendar portion only
The documented hours scheduling client work, vendor mgmt, Suncraft logistics. PA on Suncraft W-2 with written job description; personal portion paid by us personally.
§162(a), Ireland v. US
Home-office cleaning — business sqft only
If office is 10% of home, 10% of cleaning bill via accountable plan. Not the whole bill.
The Compozure honest take. If they do anything genuinely business — sourcing venues for Suncraft offsites, vendor logistics, Augusta meeting setups — that narrow slice is deductible at documented hours. Everything else (maid, laundry, errands, personal calendar) is personal. The clean structure: Compozure invoices us personally for the personal portion, and bills Suncraft separately with a project-coded invoice for any documented business work. No commingling. Putting the whole bill through Suncraft costs us 48% on the value + kills the entity deduction + invites IRS exam.
The actual "expand the $50k" strategy. Augusta ($30k/yr) + accountable plan + biz-portion PA + healthcare + 401k + §127 + §129 + §125 = ~$26.5k/mo of controlled value on top of the $50k cash. ~$76.5k/mo of real household economic flow without crossing any line. Pay for Compozure personally out of the $50k. Let the legitimate vehicles do the lifting.
Aither's reserves09 / 38
What's in the Fidelity account · and what we do with it
The $1.29M in Fidelity, and what it's doing.
The reserve does two jobs. It's the cushion if things slip. And it throws off gross yield (~$88k/yr if fully allocated). Important caveat: the ~$1.29M Fidelity is split between business and personal — exact split TBD pending statement review. Only the business portion is the Aither operating cushion. Second caveat: Aither is a C-corp, so business-side yield gets eaten by corporate tax (~21% fed + 8.85% NYC GCT) before any reaches us. Conversion decision needed.
Where the $1.29M sits.
Three buckets. Liquid enough to cover anything that comes up. Predictable enough to budget around. A small slice growing faster than inflation.
Bucket
What it's in
Amount
Yield
Instant cash
Money market (SPAXX)
~$290k
~4.3%
Short treasuries
SGOV / BIL
~$600k
~4.3%
Long-term growth
S&P 500 index (VOO)
~$400k
~7-9%
Total
—
$1.29M
~$88k/yr
Aither is a C-corp — conversion decision urgent. Holding passive yield in a C-corp is tax-inefficient. Tax attorney to model: (a) liquidate the C-corp (taxable on appreciated VOO), (b) Form 2553 S-election (§1374 BIG tax + §1375 trap risk if accumulated E&P), or (c) keep C-corp and restructure use case. No new positions inside Aither until the decision is made. We never touch the principal in the base case either way — only yield flows out.
Why the mix.
Instant cash
For anything that surprises us. 2-3 months of household burn covered immediately, no selling needed.
Short treasuries
Yield close to MM with slightly better tax treatment (state-tax-free). The reliable income engine.
Index
A small slice that beats inflation. Not tactical. Set it, rebalance once a year, ignore it.
QSBS architecture10 / 38
§1202 — the single largest tax lever · stacked across entities + trusts
How we keep $10M+ of the Sefid exit tax-free.
§1202 Qualified Small Business Stock — the cleanest federal tax break for tech founders. 100% gain exclusion at 5 years (50% at 3yr, 75% at 4yr under post-OBBBA tiered rules), up to $15M per issuer per shareholder. Get the structure right at formation and most of the Sefid exit pays no federal tax.
The architecture.
Per-issuer cap
$15M
Each standalone DE C-corp gets its own exclusion cap. Stacked with non-grantor trusts as separate taxpayers.
5-year clock
Aug 2026
Starts at founder-share issuance, not company formation. Tacks through gifts to non-grantor trusts under §1202(h)(1).
Active business test
80%
§1202(e)(1)(A) — 80% of assets used in active business. Holding-co structure typically blows this. Standalone preserves it.
Stacking the exclusions.
Me · Sefid Inc.$15M exclusion · founder shares + §83(b)
Me · Seda Inc. (when formed)$15M exclusion · own DE C-corp, not Sunspell sub
Me · Sapour Inc. (when formed)$15M exclusion · own DE C-corp
Total achievable (Sefid alone)$30M federal-tax-free
Total achievable (all three ventures)$60M+ federal-tax-free
Five ways to blow it. (1) Sefid as a Sunspell subsidiary — $5-15M+ lost. (2) Skip §83(b) within 30 days — every vest tranche becomes ordinary income. (3) Convertible note converts before founder shares are issued — issuance date moves and the clock restarts. (4) Sunspell C-corp ever owns Sefid stock — taints active-business test. (5) Cross $50M gross-asset cap before issuance — disqualified, full stop.
Trusts + holdings stack11 / 38
Eleven structures beyond SLAT and dynasty trust · use the right ones, skip the rest
The full trust + holdings stack.
David, SLAT (post-marriage) and the non-grantor dynasty trust (pre-marriage) do the heavy lifting on §1202 stacking and our primary estate freeze. Here's what else goes around them. Three rules: (1) every dollar of lifetime gift exemption is most valuable when applied to pre-priced-round Sefid shares ($1 of exemption can move $5-10M+ out of estate at exit); (2) NY recharacterizes incomplete-gift non-grantor trusts as grantor trusts for state income tax, so the 10.9% NY savings on QSBS only materializes with FULLY-completed gifts; (3) BDIT and IDGT installment-sale are aggressive — sequence them AFTER the boring stuff is in.
Structure
Purpose
When
Verdict
IDGT installment sale
Estate freeze beyond SLAT capacity. Sell ~$15-20M of Sefid to SD grantor trust for 9-yr balloon at AFR. No cap gain on sale. ~$22M outside estate, ~$11M tax saved.
Q1 2027 post-marriage / post-Series A only
Use later
Zeroed-out GRAT (Walton, 2-yr)
Capture Series A pricing pop without burning lifetime exemption. Preserves $13.99M for dynasty trust QSBS stack.
Right before/after Series A prices
Use
BDIT (Beneficiary Defective Inheritor Trust)
Move Sefid appreciation out at $0 exemption cost via §678 deemed ownership.
Likely never — non-grantor dynasty trust at founding captures 80% of benefit with 30% of risk
Skip v1
DAPT (SD or NV, self-settled)
Creditor protection on Aither portfolio + pre-marital Sefid shares. Grantor-trust to preserve §1202.
Q4 2026 / Q1 2027
Maybe defer to 2030
ILIT + survivorship UL
Estate-tax-free death benefit liquidity. ~$10-15M death benefit, $40-80k/yr premiums.
Defer to Q4 2031 — post-exit, may be redundant given SLAT
Defer
QPRT — Manhattan apt
Gift residence at discounted value, retain use.
Don't — NYC RE flat, 2-yr replacement trap, IRS-scrutinized
Skip
SLAT-purchase Hamptons home
Move vacation home appreciation out of estate. SLAT buys directly post-marriage — no §2036 clawback, no QPRT gymnastics.
When/if we buy Hamptons
Use
CRT / CLAT (charitable trusts)
Defer cap gains on Sefid exit OR zero-out gift transfer. Only matters on slice ABOVE QSBS-stacking capacity.
Decision year before exit (2030)
If exit >$40M
Sunspell brand / trademark holding LLC
Hold Sunspell + Sefid wordmarks in DE LLC owned by non-grantor dynasty trust. License to Sefid + Suncraft at 0.5-1% of sales. Trademark + brand only — Sefid keeps Sun OS source code internally for §1202 active-business test.
Q4 2026 alongside Sefid formation
Use
Aither C-corp PHC fix
Eliminate §541 Personal Holding Company tax. Annual December dividend (or §565 consent dividend) to zero out undistributed PHC income.
This tax year — annual
Urgent
Series LLC
Cost-saving consolidation of multiple LLCs.
Don't — saves $900/yr in DE franchise tax, but NY courts haven't enforced inter-series walls. One veil-pierce fight = $50-250k defense vs. $900 saved.
Skip
Sequence. Q3-Q4 2026 form Sefid + Suncraft + Sunspell brand LLC, gift founder Sefid shares to non-grantor dynasty trust at par. Q4 2026 prenup negotiation begins. Q1 2027 form DAPT (grantor) + run 2-yr GRAT through any Series A. Post-Oct-2027 marriage fund SLAT. Q1 2028 IDGT installment sale if exemption capacity remains. Defer ILIT and CRT decisions to 2030-2031 when exit shape is known. Skip: BDIT, QPRT (Manhattan), Series LLC, offshore, Cook Islands.
Offshore reality check12 / 38
Should we set up Sunspell or Suncraft offshore? The honest answer.
Should we set up Sunspell or Suncraft offshore? No.
David, every founder gets asked this in their first year — usually by a guy at a dinner who "has a Cayman thing." Honest answer for US citizens in Manhattan: offshore does almost nothing for us. The US taxes worldwide income. CFC rules (Subpart F, GILTI), PFIC, and FATCA were built to close every door someone used to walk through. The narrow cases where offshore makes sense aren't our cases.
Verdict. No offshore entity for Sunspell, Suncraft, or Sefid. We are US citizens, US residents, with US customers and US-source income. Offshore adds ~$30-100k/yr of compliance cost (Form 5471, 8865, 8938, FBAR, FATCA, CFC Subpart F/GILTI calcs, transfer pricing), zero federal tax savings, and a massive audit-flag posture for a $25M+ QSBS exit where we want diligence to be boring. §1202 + South Dakota non-grantor dynasty trust does what we actually want.
Nine jurisdictions, side by side.
Cayman Islands
Famous fund domicile, zero corporate tax. But CFC rules tax US owners. Form 5471 every year ($5-15k prep). No QSBS — §1202 requires US C-corp. Cayman is for non-US LPs, not US founders.
Skip
BVI
Cheap Cayman. Same CFC math. Worse banking post-FATCA. "Privacy" evaporated with UK + US beneficial-ownership registers (CTA 2024). Zero benefit, real cost.
Skip
Bermuda
Introduced 15% corporate tax 2024 (OECD Pillar Two). Setup costs highest in offshore world (~$50k+). For $1B reinsurance, not a $25M boutique studio.
Skip
Singapore
Best-quality offshore option, 17% rate, respected. But needs real substance — staff + board + decisions in Singapore. Without it, GILTI claws income back. Only makes sense if we open a Singapore office serving Asian clients.
Narrow case
UAE (Dubai / RAK)
9% corporate tax since 2023. Personal 0% tax irrelevant for US citizens (FEIE caps ~$126k). To get personal benefit, need to expatriate — §877A exit tax on Sefid at FMV = ~$5-6M on a $25M exit. Not relevant.
Skip
Estonia (e-Residency)
0% on retained earnings, 20% on distribution — but we need $50k/mo distributed. Same CFC clawback. Banking hard without local substance. Marketing program for digital freelancers.
Skip
Puerto Rico Act 60
4% corporate, 0% cap gains on PR-source — the ONLY structure that works for US citizens (PR is US territory). BUT bona fide residence requires 183+ days/yr + closer-connection test. Cap gain exclusion only applies to gains AFTER moving. Moving from Manhattan with kids 2028 isn't on the table.
Narrow case
Cook Islands
Real asset protection — but US courts now order settlors to repatriate under contempt (FTC v. Affordable Media, Anderson). Setup $25-75k, annual $15-50k. SD/NV DAPT does ~80% of the work at ~10% of the cost without the contempt risk.
Skip
Nevis
Cook Islands lite. Same FATCA / CTA disclosures. Same contempt risk. Wyoming or Delaware LLC gets comparable charging-order protection inside the US legal system where our life is.
Skip
What actually works — domestic.South Dakota for the non-grantor dynasty trust (no state income tax on undistributed trust income, dynasty perpetuity, strong directed-trustee statute). Nevada or South Dakota for a DAPT (2-yr statute of repose, no exception creditors in NV). Delaware for the C-corp (Sefid) and holding LLCs (predictable Chancery court). Wyoming for any LLC where charging-order protection is the main goal (best statute in the US, low franchise tax). These four jurisdictions do everything the offshore conversation is actually trying to do — without the compliance tax, without the audit posture, and without compromising the §1202 exit.
Right now13 / 38
Where we are · June 23, 2026
Suncraft just started. The pipeline is real.
Four paying clients at $110k/month ≈ $1.32M annualized. Today the money is split — Aither C-corp (Jan-July 15) and Suncraft (post-formation). July 15 is the cutover — Aither stops earning, Suncraft starts at $0, all new revenue flows there. 1-2 more prospects likely landing August. Sefid prototype shipped; raise opens August.
$110k
MRR · 4 active clients
~$80k
Cash in bank
~$1.29M
Fidelity · biz + personal
July 15
Suncraft cutover
The Sunspell ventures, today.
Venture
Where it is
What's next
Sun OS
Live The engine all client work runs on
Always on · powers everything
Syncara
Live Running for Agora · all clients next week
Prove out the automation in 30 days
Sefid
Using it Prototype shipped
Jasmine starts daily use next week
Seda
Designing UX build this month
Then physical prototype
Sapour
Beta done Reports working
Polish + marketing push
What changed. Six months ago, every version of 2026 ended in the red. Electio + Loovly are both leaning into extension talks (not churning). Insuit is new. With 1-2 more landing in August, 2026 lands in surplus, not break-even. Cushion stays untouched. First $50k month at home moves to this November.
Cash audit · July 15 transition14 / 38
Aither winds down · Suncraft picks up at $0 · the actual cash picture
What we actually have, and what's coming in.
David — being precise: Aither stops earning July 15. Everything after that flows to Suncraft, which starts from $0 on July 15. Here's the cash today, what comes in before the switch, and the honest 2026 P&L given the actual timing.
Liquid cash today.
Bank checking~$80k
Fidelity portfolio (business + personal mix · split TBD)~$1.29M
Total liquid today~$1.37M
Pre-July-15 · Aither's final earnings.
Aither revenue YTD already collected~$480k
+ 1-2 final invoices by July 15+$40k
Aither total 2026 revenue~$520k
After July 15$0 — Aither stops earning
Post-July-15 · Suncraft starts at $0.
4 active clients move to Suncraft · Electio + Loovly + Agora + Insuit$110k MRR
+ 1-2 pipeline landings August+$50-60k MRR
Suncraft 2026 revenue · July 15 → Dec 31 (5.5 months)~$800k-$900k
The honest 2026 combined P&L.
Aither (Jan-July 15)~$520k
Suncraft (July 15-Dec 31)~$800-900k
Combined 2026 revenue~$1.32M-$1.42M
Cost base (both entities, full year)~$940k
2026 net~$380-480k surplus
Aither §541 PHC tax becomes urgent the day revenue stops. Once Aither is 100% passive Fidelity yield with zero operating income, it fails the 95% personal holding company income test. Annual December dividend (or §565 consent dividend) required to zero out undistributed PHC income — engage CPA before EOY. Realistic exposure if ignored: $8-13k/yr, growing.
What we still need to know. Exact Fidelity business/personal split (need the Fidelity statement). How much of the $80k bank is Aither operating cash vs household. Whether any 2026 Aither estimated tax has been paid in. These three numbers change the cost-base allocation between Aither and Suncraft for the Jan-July period.
Investment allocation · business + personal15 / 38
Business Fidelity (Aither) · my personal Fidelity — two different strategies
What to do with each pool of money.
Two pools, two different strategies. Business money inside a C-corp wants liquidity + predictable yield (growth gets double-taxed on the way out). Personal money wants long-term growth in tax-efficient wrappers.
Pool 1 · Business Fidelity (Aither portion).
Goal: cushion + predictable yield · not growth. Growth inside a C-corp is double-taxed at realization.
Bucket
What it's in
Target %
Why
Instant cash
Money market (SPAXX)
30-40%
Instant liquidity for surprises · 2-3 months household burn covered
Short Treasuries
SGOV / BIL
40-50%
~4.3% yield · state-tax-free (we don't pay NY on T-bill interest)
NY-tax-exempt munis
NY muni MM (FZSXX) or NY muni ETF
10-20%
Triple-tax-free for NYC residents at high brackets · only worth it on NY-issuer paper
Equity index
Keep low or zero
0-10%
C-corp pays 21% federal + NYC GCT on appreciation when realized · tax-inefficient inside
Two urgent actions for business Fidelity. (1) Distribute December dividend or §565 consent dividend to avoid §541 PHC tax once Aither stops earning July 15 — passive-income test fails the moment operations cease. (2) Move appreciated VOO out of Aither C-corp now if any is in there — every dollar of unrealized gain inside C-corp is a future double-tax.
Pool 2 · My personal Fidelity.
Goal: long-term growth in tax-efficient wrappers. Personal money compounds outside the corporate tax cage.
Bucket
What it's in
Target %
Why
Emergency cash
SPAXX / SGOV
5-10%
3-6 month buffer · overlaps with $80k bank · don't double-stack
Global equity index
VOO + VXUS (or VTI + VXUS)
35-45%
Long-term wealth compounding · taxed at LTCG rates, not corp + dividend
Short Treasuries
SGOV / BIL
15-20%
State-tax-free yield · stable allocation
NY municipal bonds
NY muni ETF or direct ladder
10-15%
Triple-tax-free for NYC · meaningful at our bracket
Tax-advantaged
Roth IRA · backdoor Roth · HSA if HDHP
10-15%
Tax-free growth forever · max contributions
Personal-side actions. Max Roth IRA $7,000/yr (or backdoor if income above $230k MFJ). HSA $4,300/yr if we switch to HDHP. At $200k+ taxable account, consider direct indexing for ongoing tax-loss harvesting (Wealthfront or Fidelity FDI) — typically harvests 1-2% per year in losses, worth ~$8-15k/yr in tax savings at our bracket.
Coordination across both pools.
Wash sale rulesSelling at a loss in one pool and rebuying same security within 30 days triggers wash sale · matters across business + personal
Tax-loss harvest annuallyLate Nov / early Dec across both pools · CPA coordinates
Asset location strategyBond yield in tax-advantaged accounts · equity in taxable (LTCG > ordinary) · munis only in taxable
Rebalance once a yearJanuary after tax-loss season · same date for both pools
What this changes about the deck's Aither numbers. Our previous "$1.29M reserve · ~$88k/yr yield" assumed the whole Fidelity was business. The business portion alone (Aither C-corp) might be $400-800k depending on the split. Yield available to the household via Aither dividends is correspondingly smaller — the rest of the $1.29M is my personal money that grows for our long-term wealth, not for monthly cash flow. We need the Fidelity statement to model precisely.
How we make money16 / 38
Steady-state Suncraft P&L · post-July-15 run rate · annualized
How Suncraft pays for everything.
This is the post-July-15 steady-state run rate. Four clients at $110k MRR = $1.32M annualized. Real fixed cost base is roughly $890-940k (team + contractors + me and David). That's $380-430k of surplus at the run rate. 2026 totals are mixed — see the Cash audit slide for the Aither + Suncraft split.
What it costs today.
Team salaries (fixed)
~$360k
Michael $200k · Wayeez $80k · Jim $80k. Before me + David W-2.
Me + David W-2
~$430k
My salary $250k (RC study) · David base $180k + commissions $160-165k on W-2 supplemental. Profit share on top.
Surplus, not break-even. The deck used to chase a $376k break-even bar — that math was built before Insuit landed and before Electio leaned into extension talks. Today's run rate covers the cost base with $380-430k headroom. Every additional contract is pure surplus or accelerated Sunspell venture funding.
Where the $50k actually comes from17 / 38
For every $100 of Suncraft revenue, here's where it goes
The $50k tax-exposure pie chart.
This is the post-July-15 Suncraft steady-state model. To sustainably deliver $50k/mo into our joint checking, Suncraft needs to clear ~$1.82M/yr ($151k/mo) in revenue. Here's where each dollar lands. Only ~31% becomes household cash after every tax. The rest goes to taxes, the team, business expenses, retirement, healthcare — and the legitimate vehicles that quietly add another ~$26.5k/mo of controlled value on top of the $50k. 2026's mixed Aither + Suncraft year is on the Cash audit slide.
Click any slice or legend row to highlight it. Click again to reset.
$100
of revenue
Household take-home cash
31.4%
$570k/yr
Team payroll · Michael + Wayeez + Jim + contractors
27.96%
$508k/yr
Federal income tax
12.95%
$235k/yr
Cards-routed biz expenses (legit)
11.02%
$200k/yr
401k retirement (deferred wealth)
3.25%
$59k/yr
NY State income tax (with PTET)
3.01%
$55k/yr
Tools, rent, infrastructure
2.75%
$50k/yr
FICA + Medicare (W-2 portion only)
2.55%
$46k/yr
NYC income tax
1.81%
$33k/yr
Healthcare premiums
1.65%
$30k/yr
Augusta Rule (tax-free to me)
1.65%
$30k/yr
The household economic flow is bigger than $50k. Cash to checking is ~$50k/mo. But layered on top: Augusta Rule ($2.5k/mo tax-free), accountable plan reimbursements, healthcare via S-corp, 401k deferral (~$4.9k/mo pre-tax wealth), §127 educational assistance, biz portion of cards. Real controlled household value ≈ $76.5k/mo. Pay for Compozure personally out of the $50k cash. Let the legitimate vehicles do the lifting.
Household budget · where the $50k goes18 / 38
Personal expenses · savings · the household side of the $50k
Where the $50k actually goes — on our side.
Paired with the pie chart on Suncraft revenue, here's the household view: ~$32.7k/mo of personal expenses, ~$17.3k/mo to savings ($208k/yr). The savings are the floor — they compound regardless of how Sefid plays out.
Monthly breakdown.
Category
What it covers
Monthly
Annual
Rent
NYC apartment
$8.7k
$104k
Day-to-day living
Food, maid, household, transit, daily life
$10k
$120k
Jasmine — health, beauty, wellness, experiences
Wand, treatments, fitness, fashion, travel
$10k
$120k
David — personal bills
Personal financial obligations
$3-5k
$36-60k
Personal expenses subtotal
—
~$32.7k
~$392k
→ Savings · the future fund
What's left — household + venture wealth build
~$17.3k
~$208k
Take-home = $50k
Sustained from Nov 2026
$50k
$600k
What the savings compound into.
Year 1 savings (Nov 2026 → Oct 2027)~$208k
5-year cumulative through 2031 · at $208k/yr + 5% blended return~$1.15M
Plus Augusta Rule ($30k/yr tax-free) cumulative+$150k
Plus 401k contributions ($59k/yr pre-tax) compounded+$340k
Household wealth floor by end of 2031 · before any Sefid exit~$1.6M+
The wealth-building floor. This is the part that doesn't depend on Sefid. Even if Sefid is a complete miss, the disciplined household-savings + Augusta + 401k path gets us to ~$1.6M+ in household wealth by 2031 on top of the cushion. The Sefid exit is the upside on top — not the foundation under it. This is what makes the plan resilient.
Discretionary tightening = accelerated savings. If we trim daily living + my wellness budget by $3k/mo combined (~10% of personal expenses), savings jump from $208k/yr to $244k/yr. Over 5 years that's an extra $180k of household wealth. Numbers we can flex on, but worth seeing what the trade-off costs.
Sales playbook19 / 38
Who we target · how deals shape · what we want by year-end
Your playbook, and the targets.
You're the BD lead on both sides. Suncraft: design retainers — brand, product, marketing, strategy. Sefid: identifying investor fit + qualifying enterprise pilot leads from your rolodex. Your judgment on who's a good fit for what is the real asset — at Suncraft for clients, at Sefid for early users + investors.
Why you on Sefid too. You're great at reading whether someone's a fit — for the work, for the bet, for the room. That's exactly what Sefid's pre-seed needs: investors who feel the problem in their gut. And once enterprise pilots open in 2027-2028, the same judgment matters for which founders / senior operators get early access. You're not "selling" Sefid (SEC §15(a) bars commission tied to securities) — you're sourcing fit. Compensation stays inside your existing Suncraft W-2 role for Sefid intros.
Who we target.
Stage
Series A → B
Funded enough to spend $25-30k a month on craft. Not big enough to have an in-house team.
Founder type
Taste-first
Treats brand and product as one thing. Wants category-defining design, not generic agency work.
Lead source
Warm
My portfolio + network drives most of the inbound. Your job: convert those, plus work your own network.
How deals shape.
Retainer · the main shape$25-30k/month · 6 months minimum
Project · one-shots like Athena$30-80k · 6-12 weeks
Average year-one revenue per client~$300k
Real contract length (with extensions)~9-10 months
Sales targets20 / 38
2026 by quarter · 2027 by year-end
What we want to hit, and by when.
Numbers, not vibes. Today's $110k MRR + 1-2 prospects in August already puts us in surplus. Every new logo on top is either household cash or accelerated Sunspell venture funding.
2026 targets.
Electio + Loovly extensions paperedby Aug 15
New logos signed by mid-October2 more on top of Insuit
MRR by Dec 31$140-170k/month
Active clients by Dec 316-7 on retainer
2027 targets.
MRR sustained from Q2 onwards$170-200k/month
Annual revenue run-rate~$2-2.4M
Active clients steady8-10 (Studio Lead + Designer #2 in seat)
New logos in 20274-6 new contracts
Investors for Sefid21 / 38
Pre-seed first ($250-400k) · then priced seed ($2.5-3M) in 2027
Who funds Sefid, and when.
Sefid raises its own money. The first round opens in August, closes in October. I own the pitch + the deck. David sources fit + opens warm doors — judging which Aither LPs, ex-Partiful designers, product founders match the bet. The earlier this lands, the less Suncraft has to subsidize Sunspell venture costs — every month sooner is ~$30-50k of surplus that stays in the household. Also pursuing grants for Sunspell as a venture studio.
The first round.
Size
$250-400k
Convertible note. ~10-15 checks at $15-50k each. Funds the technical hire and me on Sefid full-time through Q2 2027.
Timing
Aug → Oct
Deck + conversations start August. First commitments mid-September. Closes October 31.
Audience
Tastemakers
Designers, product founders, brand leaders. People who feel the problem in their gut, not generalists.
Who we go to, in order.
1 · Aither LPs already warm to Jasmine~8-10 conversations · first asks
2 · Designer-founders Jasmine has worked withPartiful, Spotify, Make, Ursa Major alumni
3 · Product-led investors who get judgment-captureSpecific angels · referrals from #1 + #2
4 · Brand + media voices that move the room1-2 names to anchor signal · saved for late in the round
The priced seed comes later. $2.5-3M in Q2-Q3 2027, after the trace log is live and the scoreboard has six months of data. Different audience — VCs and strategic angels. Different conversation.
Sefid · the biggest bet22 / 38
Judgment as the scarce asset · the $25M+ QSBS exit thesis
Sefid is the bet that turns a venture studio into real wealth.
Every other venture sharpens the engine. Sefid becomes a real company. In the AI era, generic intelligence got cheap — judgment didn't. Sefid captures yours, versions it, lends it. The moat is whose judgment, not generic judgment.
Why this is the biggest bet.
Largest TAM
Every founder + every senior operator
Started consumer (founder cohort) → enterprise pilots (judgment archive for C-suites) → eventually a licensable layer.
Compounding moat
Trace log + scoreboard
Each captured decision sharpens the model. Defensibility scales with use; one user's judgment can be lent or licensed to the next.
QSBS exit
$30M federal-tax-free
Standalone DE C-corp + non-grantor trust = $15M × 2 caps. Aug 2026 founder issuance + 5-year clock = sellable late 2031 with full §1202 exclusion.
Path to revenue.
2026 · Dogfood + trace logI use it daily · ML engineer Dec 31 · pre-seed $250-400k Oct 31
2027 · Founder cohort + priced seed30-100 early users · scoreboard live · $2.5-3M priced seed Q2-Q3
2028-2029 · Enterprise pilots$30k-100k ACV per pilot · 10-20 enterprise customers · Series A material
2031-2032 · QSBS exit window5-year clock matures · strategic acquisition or secondary · $25M+ to household
My take. Sefid is the bet because I am the bet. I'm dogfooding it, my judgment is the seed dataset, I'm the founder. The other ventures are real but Sefid is the one where my time + the AI tooling + the QSBS structure all compound at the same time. If we win one venture by 2032, this is the one.
Reality check · the honest read.
My confidence
40%
On the $25M+ exit by 2032. Path is real but not a slam dunk — most likely outcome is $1-3M ARR by 2031 → $15-40M acquisition range, mid-distribution.
Cultural + tech climate
Mixed
AI fatigue cuts both ways. Sefid is counter-positioned (deliberate, anti-engagement) which helps. Crowded orbit (Granola, Reflect, Mem) — none cracked judgment-as-licensable-asset. White space, uncertain timing.
Most likely 2026 outcome
Pre-seed at $250-300k
Closes below the $400k target. ML engineer signs Q1 2027, not Dec 31. Trace log live with founder cohort by Q1 2027.
Syncara · the surprise licensing bet23 / 38
Built for us → could become a SaaS we license to every design agency
Syncara is the second-biggest bet hiding in plain sight.
Built originally for Suncraft client work — the room where the proposal, contract, weekly updates, and deliverables all live. Live with Agora today, all clients next week. Here's the bet: every design agency in the world has the same problem we just solved. Syncara is licensable.
Why this is a bet, not just an internal tool.
Already validated
Live with us + Agora
We use it every day. Agora uses it every day. We can demo a working product to design partners, not a pitch deck.
Real TAM
~5,000 boutique studios
Every 10-50 person design / strategy / brand agency globally. We sell to peers, not strangers. Network effect if multiple agencies cross-reference.
Recurring + sticky
$500-1500/mo
SaaS pricing per agency. Switching costs high once client work flows through it. Long retention.
Path to revenue.
2026 · Prove outSuncraft + Agora full integration · automation proof in 30 days
Q1 2027 · 3-5 design-partner agenciesFriends-of-the-house studios use it free in exchange for feedback
Q3 2027 · SaaS launch$500-1500/mo per agency · self-serve onboarding
2028 · 50-100 paying agencies$300k-1.2M ARR · could spin out with own seed round or stay inside Sunspell
2029-2030 · 200-500 agencies + acquisition interestSale candidate (Notion / Linear / Figma adjacent) or run as cash cow
My take. This is the bet I'd never have planned, but the proof is already on our screens. Building Syncara solo would've been a slog; building it inside Suncraft means we already pay for the work as part of running our studio. Every dollar of Syncara revenue from here on is high-margin SaaS on top of a product we already need to maintain. The asymmetry is the point.
Reality check · the honest read.
My confidence
65%
On hitting $300-500k ARR by 2028. ~30% on $1M+. Probably the most reliable near-term revenue bet in the portfolio. Sales motion is the gate, not the product.
Cultural + tech climate
Strong
Boutique studios category is growing. Vertical SaaS for agencies is a real demand wave (Cursor / Claude Code analogues for design = wide open). Sophisticated buyers — switching is hard but lifetime value is high once locked in.
Most likely 2026 outcome
2-3 design partners
Internal + Agora live. By Q4 we have 2-3 partner studios using it free in exchange for feedback. No paid revenue this year, but the pipeline for 2027 is real.
Seda · the voice mirror bet24 / 38
Consumer-led · hardware-defensible · the founder cohort plays first
Seda is the consumer bet on voice as the next mirror.
Most products are assistants. Seda is a mirror. Listens across your workday and reflects how you actually communicate — balance, clarity, warmth — week over week. Consumer-first, founder cohort early, physical prototype for defensibility.
Why this is a bet.
Undermonetized category
Voice intelligence + reflection
Wellness products are a $1.5T market. Communication self-awareness has no clear leader. Adjacent to journaling apps + coaching but pulls in voice data nobody else owns.
Hardware defensibility
Physical prototype
The physical form factor raises switching costs vs a pure app. Distinguishes from the wash of LLM wrappers. Hardware buyer = sticky subscriber.
Feeds Sefid
Voice + judgment = full self
What Seda learns about how you communicate is exactly what Sefid needs to lend your voice forward. They compound when used together.
2029-2030 · Enterprise L&D pilotCommunication-coaching layer for Series B+ companies · $30-100k ACV
My take. Seda is the most "founder-led" of the consumer bets — I deeply want this product for myself. That's both the strength (real taste) and the trap (founder myopia). If I had to rank by certainty of revenue, it's behind Sefid + Syncara, but the upside as an acquisition target (Spotify / Apple / Anthropic) is huge if we ship the hardware well. I'd run this slow and deliberate.
Reality check · the honest read.
My confidence
25%
On $1M ARR by 2029. ~50% on shipping good product + raising seed. The acquihire path is more realistic than the standalone-revenue path. Highest-risk bet in the portfolio.
Cultural + tech climate
Mixed
Voice AI matured (cheap to build now) and deliberate-tech culture growing. But: consumer hardware is a graveyard in 2026 — Humane, Rabbit, Friend Pin all struggled or died. $20/mo consumer AI subscription is brutal market.
Most likely 2026 outcome
Prototype Q4 (not Q3)
UX build this month delivers but physical prototype slips one quarter. Founder cohort early access pushes to Q2 2027. Seed conversation stays paused.
Biology-informed connection profiles + curated gatherings. Beta flows shipped, reports working. The bet: chemistry is real, measurable, and shareable — and people pay premium for curated events that get it right.
Why this is a bet.
Premium pricing
$500-2k membership
Curated events command $100-500/seat (Soho House, Side Society precedent). Membership model layered on top = recurring revenue + selectivity flywheel.
Counter-positioning
vs Hinge / Tinder
Dating apps are a race to the bottom. Sapour is the opposite — exclusive, science-backed, designed for actual chemistry vs swipe count. Premium positioning protects margin.
B2B optional
License the chemistry layer
The profile + matching engine could be sold to dating apps as a feature layer ($1-5/match cost). Doesn't compete with their core, augments it.
Q1 2027 · First curated gathering10-30 people · NYC + LA · ticketed at $200-500
Q3 2027 · Membership launch$500-2k/yr · 50-200 founding members · seed late 2027
2028 · 1000+ members · 10+ events/yr$500k-$2M ARR · expansion to 5+ cities
2029-2030 · B2B chemistry layerLicense profile + matching tech to 1-3 dating apps · $50-200k/yr deals
My take. The most "experiential" of the ventures — and the one where brand discipline matters most. The category has burned a lot of money on bad execution (Field, The Atlantic Group, etc.). What we have that others don't: working tech + design taste + a founder cohort to seed it with. If we keep the curation tight and the science honest, this becomes a real business. If we let it become "another members club," it doesn't.
Reality check · the honest read.
My confidence
50%
On $500k ARR by 2028 (NYC + LA events + membership). ~20% on the B2B chemistry-licensing angle landing meaningfully. Events businesses are labor-intensive — margin trap is real.
Cultural + tech climate
Very strong
Post-COVID isolation hangover + dating-app fatigue + Soho House saturation = wide open lane for premium curated alternatives. Cultural wind at our back. Less tech-dependent than the others.
Most likely 2026 outcome
Q4 polish + first cohort
Marketing campaign Q3-Q4 (slower than ideal). First curated event Q1 2027 — 15-25 people, NYC. No revenue this year.
Setara · the orchestration spinout26 / 38
Internal first · licensed later · the system the lab actually runs on
Setara is the layer everything else runs on — and the eventual spinout.
The internal operating layer that keeps judgment first-class and versioned across every venture. The task is the work, the project is the memory, the North Star is the law. Today it runs the lab. The bet: the same system that makes us 3-5x faster can be licensed to other studios + venture labs.
Why this is a bet.
Inside-out distribution
We are the proof
We use Setara daily across all ventures. By 2028 we can show 3-5x faster shipping, decision-velocity, and judgment continuity. No external pitch needed.
Premium ACV
$5k-50k/yr enterprise
Venture studios, accelerators, premium consultancies. Smaller TAM than Syncara but materially higher per-customer revenue. Adjacent to Notion/Linear/Asana but deeper into decision-versioning.
Bundleable
Sun OS + Setara = full stack
Sold together, this is the venture-studio-in-a-box. We've built what others would pay to license. Sale candidate at maturity (Anthropic / Notion / Linear).
Path to revenue.
2026-2027 · Internal onlySetara runs the lab · zero external revenue · ROI proven on us
2028 · 2-3 design-partner studiosHand-picked venture labs use Setara free in exchange for feedback
2031+ · Spinout or saleEither Setara Inc. as standalone C-corp with own QSBS clock, or strategic sale
My take. Setara is the bet that doesn't need to be a bet for years. It earns its keep just by making us faster. If we never sell it externally, we still get the operational leverage. If we do sell it, it's pure upside on top of the engine we'd build anyway. The right move is to ignore the market and let the product earn the right to a launch later.
Reality check · the honest read.
My confidence
80% / 15%
80% on internal leverage (makes us 3-5x faster). 15% on $500k external ARR by 2030. 5% on a real spinout. This is leverage, not a real bet for a long time.
Cultural + tech climate
Brutal externally
Productivity SaaS is consolidating (Notion absorbs everything, Linear devouring project management). New entrants need a sharp wedge. We don't have one yet — and that's fine, because we don't need to launch.
Most likely 2026 outcome
Internal only
Stays inside Sun OS. No external pitch, no demo, no fundraise. Refined alongside the other ventures using it daily.
Aspirational language is everywhere in venture decks. Here's the version where I'm honest about what the climate, the market, and the data actually say — across all five bets, side by side. If David asks "do you actually believe this," this is the slide.
Confidence by venture.
Venture
Bet thesis
Confidence on the thesis
Climate read
Sefid
$25M+ exit by 2032
40%
Mixed · counter-positioned vs AI fatigue · crowded orbit
Syncara
$300-500k ARR by 2028
65%
Strong · agency-SaaS wave + we're our own proof
Seda
$1M ARR by 2029
25%
Mixed · voice AI mature, but consumer hardware is a 2026 graveyard
Sapour
$500k ARR by 2028
50%
Very strong · premium curated category wave at our back
4 · Setara (operational leverage)Non-dollar value · enables everything else
5 · Seda (highest variance)Either ~$0 or acquisition windfall · binary outcome
What this changes about the plan. Sefid is still the lead bet — but it's the bet, not the certainty. Syncara is genuinely underrated and may end up being the steadier revenue source. Seda needs the most scrutiny and may need a "should we keep going?" check by end of 2026. Sapour is the dark horse cultural play. Setara is leverage, not a bet — stop calling it a bet externally.
Why Sefid still leads28 / 38
Confidence ≠ expected value · how we re-balance attention without losing the lead bet
If Sapour's confidence is higher, why is Sefid still the lead?
Fair pushback. The answer is expected value, not raw confidence. Sefid's upside × probability is 10-30× Sapour's even when Sapour's probability is higher. But that doesn't mean Sapour gets what it deserves under the current plan — and you're right to flag it.
The math, side by side.
Bet
Confidence
Wealth contribution if it hits
Expected value
Sefid · QSBS exit
40%
$25-50M
$10-20M
Syncara · SaaS + acquisition optionality
65%
$3-10M
$2-6.5M
Sapour · membership + B2B chemistry
50%
$1-3M cumulative
$500k-1.5M
Seda · acquihire windfall
25%
$3-15M (binary)
$750k-3.75M
Setara · internal leverage only
80%
non-dollar value
—
Why Sefid still leads. Even at 40% confidence, Sefid's expected dollar value is ~10× Sapour's. The QSBS structure (standalone DE C-corp, §1202, $30M federal-tax-free) is purpose-built for Sefid's exit shape — it doesn't translate to an events/membership business. My time is the seed dataset for Sefid; Sapour can be operated by someone else. Expected value × structural tax advantage × my dogfooding fit = lead bet.
But you're right that Sapour is underserved. The fix.
Move 1
Dedicated Sapour operator
Hire a Sapour-specific venture lead in Q4 2026 (not "TBD"). Runs polish, marketing, first cohort, brand. Frees Sapour from my time-bottleneck.
Move 2
Accelerated launch
First curated event Q4 2026 (not Q1 2027). Sapour rides the post-summer NYC + LA cultural moment. Membership soft-launch Q1 2027.
Move 3
Sapour-specific raise
Separate $150-300k pre-seed for Sapour by Q1 2027. Brand + curated-events angels, not deep-tech VCs. Different audience than Sefid.
The combined plan. My attention stays on Sefid (the lead bet). Sapour gets the resources and operator it deserves to run in parallel. The cultural tailwind is real and we shouldn't waste it — but we also shouldn't trade $10-20M of expected Sefid value for $500k-1.5M of expected Sapour value. Both, not either.
Hiring goals29 / 38
Roles + timing · Suncraft on top, Sunspell on the bottom (funded by raise/grant)
Who we hire, and when.
We can handle the work without a Studio Lead right now — current team holds. But we'll need one soon, and we need 2 more for Sunspell when the raise or grant lands. The sooner Sefid pre-seed or a Sunspell grant closes, the less Suncraft has to carry.
Suncraft team — funded by client revenue.
1
Studio Lead — when capacity demands
Design Director seniority. Runs Suncraft delivery, owns client relationships, hires Designer #2. Trigger: when we hit 6+ retainers or my Sefid hours hit 50%.
Q4 2026 / Q1 2027
$295-380k loaded
2
Designer #2 at Suncraft
Senior / Lead level. Hired by Studio Lead. Lets us hold 8-10 clients without dropping quality.
Q2 · 2027
$180-240k
Sunspell ventures team — funded by raise + grant.
3
Sefid ML engineer
Staff-level. Builds the trace log, scoreboard, and model. ISOs from Sefid Stock Option Plan, 4-year vest, 1-year cliff, strike at 409A FMV.
Dec 31 · 2026
$200-280k + 1.5-3% ISO
4
Sunspell venture operator (TBD)
Runs Sunspell-the-studio operations across ventures — partnerships, brand, scheduling, hiring pipeline. Funded by Sunspell grant or venture pre-seed.
When raise lands
$140-180k
5
Sefid product designer
After the priced seed lands. Owns Sefid's interface end-to-end so I can step back to system + voice.
Q4 · 2027
$180-220k
Current team holds for now. Michael ($200k), Wayeez ($80k), Jim ($80k), plus me and David, plus ~$10k/mo contractors. Studio Lead and Sunspell roles get added as capacity + funding warrant — they're triggered by signals, not by an arbitrary date.
Who owns what30 / 38
Areas of clear ownership · plus the action each of us can take to win
Who owns what, and how each of us wins.
Clear lanes stop fights and slips. Most things have one owner. A few we share. Each lane has one action — what the owner does this year to make the plan more likely.
Jasmine owns
Suncraft delivery + taste (until Studio Lead)
Sefid product, roadmap, and brand
Sun OS + Syncara engine
All hiring sign-offs · all design hires
Action this year
· Sefid pre-seed deck locked by Aug 15
· Suncraft delivery handed off cleanly by Dec 1
· Hold brand + taste discipline across every venture
David owns
Suncraft BD pipeline + new logos
Client relationships (post Studio Lead)
Sefid investor fit + warm intros (under W-2, no commission)
Sefid enterprise pilot lead qualification (from 2027)
Aither reserve oversight + Fidelity
P&L discipline · margin · vendor calls
Action this year
· Close 3+ of 4 pipeline projects by mid-Oct
· Build a 30-name warm investor list for Sefid (judge fit, not just rolodex)
· Keep Suncraft margin above 35% — no scope creep
Shared — we decide together.
Studio Lead hireFinal call jointly · Jasmine on taste fit · David on operational lift
Sefid pre-seed approachesJasmine writes the deck · David opens warm doors
Big strategic spend ($25k+)Joint sign-off · documented in shared Notion
Big client pitches + comp negotiationsBoth present · both negotiate
Helpers, not owners. CPA (S-corp + tax). Tax attorney (entity work). Recruiter (Studio Lead). Lawyer (contracts + IP). Each one owns a deliverable, not a decision.
The next 6 months31 / 38
The checklist for the next six months
What stands between us and a real foundation.
Everything rests on the next six months. The tax attorney unblocks the entity formations, which unblock everything else. Client work + ventures both have their own gates.
What
By when
☐
Engage QSBS-literate tax attorney · before any entity gets formed
July 15
☐
File Sefid + Suncraft + Sunspell IP-LLC · three entities in sequence
Aug 15
☐
Lock Electio + Loovly extensions · papered through 2027
Aug 15
☐
1-2 more clients signed · on top of Insuit
Sept 30
☐
Sefid pre-seed first money in · $250-400k
Oct 31
☐
Sunspell grant or investment · reduces Suncraft burden
Q4 push
☐
Sefid ML engineer signs · ISO grant ready
Dec 31
The bare minimum32 / 38
Five things absolutely have to happen for the plan to hold
The bare-minimum version of the plan.
Strip everything else out. If these five happen, the wedding year stays calm, the cushion stays untouched, the long arc opens on schedule. Miss two and we eat into the reserve.
1
Engage QSBS-literate tax attorney by July 15.
Every entity formation step downstream depends on this. Wrong structure = $5-15M+ of §1202 QSBS forfeited at the Sefid exit. Hire by July 15, before any paperwork gets filed.
July 15 · hard
2
File Sefid Inc. + Suncraft Inc. + Sunspell IP-LLC by Aug 15.
Three entities, papered in sequence. Sefid standalone DE C-corp (founder shares + §83(b)), Suncraft S-corp (Form 2553 + NY CT-6), Sunspell as IP-holding LLC for Sun OS.
Aug 15
3
Sefid pre-seed first money in by October.
$250-400k from the right people. Funds the ML engineer that builds the product. Reduces Suncraft burden of subsidizing Sunspell venture costs.
Oct 31
4
Sunspell grant or investment in pipeline.
Sunspell as a venture studio raises its own first dollars (grant or pre-seed) — every month earlier this lands is ~$30-50k of Suncraft surplus that stays in the household.
Active outreach
5
Don't break what's already working.
Sun OS and Syncara are live and holding clients. Sefid prototype shipped. Sapour beta done. Protect them while we add new stuff.
ongoing
If things slip33 / 38
Honest counterweight to the bare minimum · the fallback
What we do if the essentials slip.
Five things have to happen. If two slip, here's the floor. Cushion gets used. Wedding shrinks. Sefid round pushes a quarter. The plan doesn't break.
Three scenarios, in order of likelihood.
Scenario A · most likely slip
Pipeline closes only 1-2 of 4.
What we do: pull $80-160k from Aither for the year. Reserve mostly intact (~$1.13M). First $50k month at home slips to Jan 2027. Wedding shrinks to $150-200k.
Scenario B · timing slip
Studio Lead slips to Q1 2027.
What we do: I stay on delivery 3-4 more months. Sefid full-time slips to March 2027. Wedding still on. ML hire delays one month.
Scenario C · raise slip
Sefid pre-seed delays to Q1 2027.
What we do: ML hire pushes 2-3 months. Priced seed still on track for Q2-Q3 2027. Aither covers $80-120k of Sefid burn in Q1 2027.
Worst case, stacked. All three slip together. We pull ~$200k more from Aither than planned across 2026-27. Reserve drops to ~$1.05M. Wedding $150k. Kid #1 timing unchanged. The plan keeps going — slower, leaner, intact.
Risk register34 / 38
The structural risks · ranked by dollar exposure · each one with a fix
What kills the plan, ranked.
Not "things slip" risks — those are slide 21. These are structural mistakes that don't recover. Mostly upstream of any operational outcome. Get the formation right and most of these vanish.
1
Sefid held as Sunspell C-corp subsidiary
Fix: Form Sefid as a standalone DE C-corp owned directly by me. Sunspell stays a brand umbrella with no equity in Sefid.
$5-15M+ at exit
2
Prenup signed inside 6 months of wedding
Fix: Engage matrimonial counsel Sept 30, 2026. Signed prenup by Q1 2027. Carve-outs for all pre-marital founder equity + active-appreciation override.
$7-12M divorce risk
3
§83(b) missed in 30-day window on any founder issuance
Fix: Standing checklist. Every founder issuance triggers §83(b) within 30 days, certified mail with return receipt. CPA + personal tax file. Single most-missed step in startup tax.
$50-200k tax bomb
4
David's commissions paid as 1099 instead of W-2
Fix: All Suncraft shareholder-employee comp through W-2 payroll. RCReports study before first payroll. Watson v. Commissioner is the binding precedent.
$60-120k FICA reclass
5
Augusta Rule documented as $63-126k/yr
Fix: Defensible target ~$30k/yr combined. 14-day cap is per dwelling, not per renter. Sinopoli v. Commissioner is the disallowance precedent.
$15-25k audit penalty
6
March 15, 2027 NY PTET election missed
Fix: Suncraft S-corp formed + valid NY S by Jan 1, 2027. PTET election by March 15 (annual + irrevocable). 60-day + 7-day reminders.
$15-30k/yr forfeited
7
David takes investor-support retainer or commission for Sefid intros
Fix: Strike the $5k/mo retainer + $14k narrow investor work lines. Sefid intros covered under existing Suncraft W-2 role with no transactional nexus.
SEC §15(a) exposure
8
Aither held as a C-corp eats ~30% of yield to tax
Fix: Tax attorney models conversion options before any other Aither decision. (a) Liquidate (taxable on appreciated assets), (b) S-elect with §1374 BIG analysis, or (c) restructure use case. Do not file anything before counsel weighs in.
~$10-25k/yr tax drag
Three scenarios35 / 38
Three honest reads · based on how many of the five essentials hit
Ideal · Plan B · Plan C.
Three futures, depending on how many of the five essentials land. Each one is real. Each one has its own wedding, cushion, and long arc.
Ideal · if all 5 hit
The plan, on schedule.
$50k/mo from November · sustained
Aither stays whole · $1.29M
Two weddings $200-250k · Lake Como + upstate NY
Sefid priced seed lands Q2-Q3 2027
2032: $25M+ · four homes
Plan B · if 2-3 of 5 hit
Slower, leaner, intact.
$40-50k/mo · gappy through Q1 2027
Aither dips to ~$1.05M
Wedding $150-200k
Sefid priced seed pushes to Q3-Q4 2027
2032: $15-20M · three homes
Plan C · if 0-1 of 5 hits
Reset. Big bets paused.
Income drops to $25-35k/mo
Aither drops to $500-700k
Wedding postponed or $50-100k
Sefid pre-seed fails · ML hire stalls
2032: back to 2025 footing
We'll know which one by December. By the end of 2026, the 5 essentials are done or they're not. That's when we know which scenario we're in.
The long arc36 / 38
2027 → 2032 · the next six years
What the next six years look like.
If the first six months land, the rest follows. November is our first $50k month at home. From there: hand off, raise, marry, kids, sell, free.
2027
Hand off. Raise. Marry.
Studio Lead runs Suncraft on their own. I'm fully on Sefid. Bigger Sefid round (~$2.5-3M) closes in Q2-Q3. Two weddings — Lake Como in Italy + an upstate NY celebration — kept to $200-250k combined.
2028 → 2030
Two kids. Real home.
NYC apartment in late 2028. First kid Q3 2028, second in 2030. Parents take over their place. Sefid growing under its own team. I'm work-optional by late 2028. Home runs $55-70k a month.
2031 → 2032
Sell. Be free.
The five-year QSBS clock on Sefid finishes. That's when we sell with the biggest tax break. $25M+ in the bank. Hamptons beach house. Japan home (~$750k cash) in 2032. Greece in 2033-2034. Four homes, family-first, work optional.
Professional team37 / 38
Six specialists · hire-by dates · what each one does · budgets
The team we hire before any paperwork gets filed.
Every structural decision above requires named specialists. Generalists won't catch the QSBS holding-co trap, the NY CT-6 election, or the §83(b) 30-day window. Hire in this order. Budget $90-200k for the initial wave.
QSBS-literate startup tax attorney
Wilson Sonsini / Gunderson / Pillsbury / Fenwick / Cooley or a comparable boutique with explicit §1202 stacking experience. Designs the architecture: standalone Sefid C-corp, founder issuance, §83(b), trust gifting, 80% active-business test. NOT a generalist — this is structuring.
$15-30k setup
By July 15
NYC startup CPA / S-corp specialist
Federal Form 2553 AND NY CT-6 (the missed step), RCReports reasonable-comp study, NY PTET + NYC PTET elections by March 15 every year, Augusta Rule template, quarterly estimates, §41 R&D credit on first Sefid 1120, controlled-group 401(k) testing.
$8-15k/yr ongoing
By Aug 1
Corporate / startup equity attorney
DE certificates of incorporation, bylaws, founder stock purchase agreements with vesting + repurchase, Sefid Stock Option Plan and form of ISO grant agreement, convertible note papering, inter-company IP license + MSA.
$20-40k setup
By Aug 1
Two NY matrimonial attorneys (one each side)
Prenuptial agreement under DRL §236(B). Independent counsel rebuts Cioffi-Petrakis duress claims. Carve-outs for all pre-marital founder equity + Price v. Price active-appreciation override. Coordinates with estate counsel on SLAT compatibility.
$30-75k total
By Sept 30
Estate attorney with §1202 trust experience
Non-grantor dynasty trust (DE/SD/NV situs) — separate §1202 taxpayer with own per-issuer $15M cap. Form 709 gift-tax filing + qualified appraisal of pre-priced-seed shares. Post-marriage SLAT layer.
$15-40k per trust
By Q4 2026
R&D credit specialist + 409A firm
alliantgroup / KBKG / boutique for §41 R&D credit on Sefid ML spend ($50-200k cumulative payroll-tax offset via §41(h)). Carta or Aranca for 409A valuations before each Sefid option grant.
$5-10k/yr each
By Q4 2026
Total initial setup: $90-200k. Pays for itself many times over — the QSBS architecture alone is worth $5-15M+. The team is the budget item with the highest ROI in the whole plan.
Decisions + what's next38 / 38
Three to decide together · five to do this month
What we decide together, and what's next.
The big bets are joint calls. Three need a yes-or-no this month. Then the handful of things we're moving on right after.
Three things to decide together.
1 · Studio Lead roleDesign Director level — start the search this week?
2 · Sefid first round$250-400k — which Aither LPs do we talk to first?
3 · QSBS-literate tax attorneyEngage by July 15 — before any entity gets formed?
This month.
Studio Lead job posting live by Friday · 60-80 name list
Sefid pitch deck drafted · 15-20 conversations lined up for September
Lock Loovly + Agora extensions by August 15
Push New Project 1 + 2 to signature by August 15 · 3 and 4 in Sep / Oct
Engage QSBS-literate tax attorney + NYC startup CPA — no entity gets formed without their sign-off
✳Sunspell
What we need from this conversation
Studio Lead by August. Sefid formed by August. Sefid raise closes October.
Three calls in the next 30 days. The math behind each one lives in the chips on the slides above — tap any of them.