Sweqlink | Decide if sweat equity fits with your startup, portfolio career or freelance and consulting work

Not sure if sweat equity is right for you

You don't need to figure it out alone

Twenty minutes for £20 with one of our mentors will give you a straight answer, even if that answer is ‘this isn't for you’. If that's all you need, great. And if you want to go further? A deep dive is £150, and your £20 comes off it. No hard sell either way.

Which one sounds like you?

Five situations bring people to this call. Pick the one closest to yours.

I've got a startup idea but limited finance I'm comparing routes to build my startup I need to structure a deal properly I'm building a portfolio career I already consult or freelance

That's you if…

You want your idea built, but hiring or agencies aren't on the table right now. The call walks you through how sweat equity actually works, and whether it fits your specific idea, not just the concept in general.

Book your 20:20 call

Your mentor sees “I've got a startup idea but limited finance” before you speak.

You're already weighing sweat equity against hiring, an agency, or a co-founder search. The call is an honest comparison, including telling you if one of the other routes is actually the better call for your situation.

Book your 20:20 call

Your mentor sees “I'm comparing routes to build my startup” before you speak.

You're past the concept stage and into the mechanics: vesting, splits, what happens if someone walks. This is the highest-touch conversation on offer, and the discovery call exists to get you to the right specialist fast, not to re-explain the basics.

Book your 20:20 call

Your mentor sees “I need to structure a deal properly” before you speak.

Sweat equity is one piece of a bigger picture, not the whole plan. The call is with someone who's actually built a portfolio career, not just studied one, and it's about the shape of your working life as much as any single deal.

Book your 20:20 call

Your mentor sees “I'm building a portfolio career” before you speak.

Equity is a minor consideration next to your existing client work, and that's fine. The call helps you work out when taking equity over, or alongside, a day rate actually makes sense, and when it doesn't.

Book your 20:20 call

Your mentor sees “I already consult or freelance” before you speak.

Sweat equity mentors

If sweat equity could be bottled and advertised, it might look like this!

Graeme Goulden
Portfolio Careers & Strategy
I did a journalism degree, found out what journalism pays, and went into product management instead. Twenty years on I'm still bolting things on: side gigs, mentoring, startups, and ProductTank, which I brought back to Manchester when I lived there. I think about a portfolio career the way you'd think about a stock portfolio — spread it, accept that some of it won't work out, and you only need one or two to land.
- LinkedIn
Mickela Sonola
Freelance Careers & Optimising Your Experience
I speak to founders and professionals about what they bring to the table — and what they’re looking for in return. I’ve spent 25+ years building a portfolio career across freelancing and creative work. I know what it’s like to have useful skills but not always know how to package them, price them or turn them into the next opportunity. I took a sweat equity deal at Sweqlink, that became "Trading Talent for Equity", which you can read below. It taught me the importance of understanding the offer, valuing your contribution, asking the right questions and being realistic about risk. Now I help others do the same.
- LinkedIn
Judy Leung
Sweat Equity Structuring & Entrepreneurship
I spent twenty years in digital marketing and product delivery, then I left the 9-5 largely without a plan - I just knew I wanted to build something I owned. I agreed to work for equity at a startup and Sweqlink came out of what I learned as a talent investor and a founder. In 2025, I received the prestigious Innovate UK Women in Innovation Award for pioneering access to entrepreneurship through sweat equity and bridging the funding gap for early stage ventures, and Sweqlink was named on the GM Rising Stars list. I regularly mentor early stage founders. On a call, I'm the one that will be asking what happens to the equity if it doesn't work out.
- LinkedIn

I would highly recommend Judy for her exceptional expertise in the field of sweat equity.

I recently had a consultation with her and was thoroughly impressed by her deep knowledge and the strategic guidance she provided. Judy gave me a new and clear perspective on how to structure sweat equity for my business. Her advice on topics like time commitment, responsibilities, and equity percentages was invaluable and has been a great help.

Tania MeasuresBusiness Owner, Clever Tails

20:20 Call (20 minutes · £20)

Initial consult with one of our mentors. We work out what you actually need and whether sweat equity fits. If it doesn't, we'll tell you why and what your next move could look like.

Deep Dive Follow On Sessions

If after the twenty minutes you'd like a longer session, you can book a deep dive. You'll come out of it with a clear roadmap for where you're going, and your £20 comes off the normal price of £150 (inclusive of VAT).

Before you book

The questions we hear most

As a founder, am I giving ownership in my company for someone's time?

That's the exact question the discovery call is built to answer properly, including what protects you if an arrangement doesn't work out. We'd rather you understood the deal fully than signed something you were unsure about.

What if sweat equity turns out not to be right for me?

Then we'll say so, on the call. The job of the 20:20 call is to route you well, not to sell you regardless of fit.

What happens after the 20:20 call?

If you'd like a deeper session, we'll match you with the best mentor for your situation to continue the conversation. If we don't think we can help, we'll tell you and point you elsewhere where we can.