Internal decision reference · Litquidity creator-distribution platform

Structuring the creator platform, in two layers

Eight entity structures and fourteen compensation mechanisms for a creator-fed RIA + SPV deal engine — each scored on nine axes, graded adversarially against primary securities law, and tagged for evidence strength.

Layer 1 · 8 structures
Layer 2 · 14 mechanisms
The thesis

A two-sided platform that subsidizes creators and monetizes the capital side. It pairs an RIA (creator-fed wealth management — the liquid crown-jewel asset) with an SPV deal engine (run as paid lead-gen into the RIA), plus a MediaCo/MarketplaceCo held outside both advisers, built on the Litquidity foundation and re-teamed around Zach / Sean / Matt. Media launches and sources but does not scale AUM — it is the low-CAC front door and a standalone P&L; the RIA is the scale-and-liquidity vehicle. The binding compliance rule survives and is externally validated: never pay a creator on capital raised. Creator pay routes through the advisory side.

This site organizes the two-layer decision — which entity structure to run, and which compensation mechanisms to pay creators under it — against the nine-axis framework and the archived primary law. Every characterization is counsel-gated. Re-weight the axes live in the interactive model.

The two-layer map

Layer 1 fixes the entity/eligibility surface; Layer 2 is the menu of ways to pay creators inside it. A structure enables a subset of mechanisms. newly identified items closed a coverage gap in the original model (the media-P&L surface and the regulated-retail path).

Layer 1 Entity structures 8 · which adviser(s), which vehicles, which eligibility gate
S1Combined (one adviser + MediaCo) S2Umbrella registration (one adviser, two entities) S3Separated (WealthCo RIA + DealCo SPV) S4Separated + affiliated BD / CAB S5Separated + third-party placement agent S6Enterprise-equity / co-GP scaling tier S7 · newRegulated-retail wrapper (interval / Reg A+ / BDC) S8 · newSMA-only / no-SPV
Layer 2 Compensation mechanisms 14 · ranked by weighted total, best first
M1HoldCo profits-interest / platform equity M2Flat / audience-based media & content fees M3Co-invest / GP-commit (at-risk capital) M4Qualified-lead fees (flat, adviser-directed) M5 · newRegistered IAR employment M6Per-qualified-member funnel fee M7 · newMediaCo revenue share (media/events P&L) M8 · newCreator-holdco equity purchase M9Advisory-fee share (Marketing-Rule promoter) M10Reg-rep commission — third-party agent M11Reg-rep commission — affiliated BD / CAB M12Bona-fide co-GP / origination carry M13Scout-style carry on sourced deals M14ANTI-PATTERN — unregistered creator paid on capital

Ranked scoring matrix

All 14 mechanisms sorted by weighted total (descending). Column headers are dotted-underline terms — hover or focus for the definition, or follow the link to Methodology. Alignment axes higher = better; the four risk axes (Cplx / Brand / Legal / Burden) higher = worse. Each row links to its mechanism page. The spine the docs recommend is rail-marked; the anti-pattern is pinned to the floor by construction.

Mechanism SPVaSPV alignment (higher=better) — does it advance the deal engine / sourcing? 1 = decoupled from deals by design; 5 = paid on realized deal outcomes / at-risk in the deal. RIAaRIA alignment (higher=better) — does it advance wealth AUM / advisory conversion? 1 = aimed at capital not advisory relationships; 5 = paid on advisory clients delivered. CombCombined-entity fit (higher=better) — does it advance the HoldCo flywheel as one? 1 = needs a BD/CAB build or a second adviser (or fits nothing); 5 = runs cleanly inside one adviser + MediaCo. CplxComplexity risk (higher=WORSE) — operational/structural machinery to run. 1 = one-time grant/disclosure only; 5 = build-and-supervise a BD/CAB or a multi-doc external GP stack + per-deal consent. BrandBrand risk to the creator (higher=WORSE) — personal-brand/securities exposure. 1 = minimal personal exposure; 5 = creator becomes an unregistered broker with bad-actor taint + personal rescission/aiding-abetting liability. LegalHard legal risk (higher=WORSE) — does it require registration / is it a Ranieri/Van Eck/15(a) transaction-based-comp pattern? 1 = no transaction nexus; 5 = the Exchange Act 15(a)/Ranieri violation itself (voided exemptions, rescission, 20(e) liability). BurdenOngoing compliance burden (higher=WORSE) — recurring upkeep. 1 = grant-then-passive; 5 = continuous point-of-endorsement disclosure + 506(d) re-screening + adviser/FINRA supervision. RIAcExpected RIA conversion (higher=better) — how much it drives creators to deliver advisory clients. 1 = pulls toward capital/deals; 5 = directly incentivizes delivering advisory clients. SPVcExpected SPV conversion (higher=better) — how much it drives deal participation. 1 = decoupled from deals by design; 5 = built to move deal capital / fill allocations. Total
HoldCo profits-interest / platform equity 335 1211 31 11.0
Flat / audience-based media & content fees 135 1212 31 7.5
Co-invest / GP-commit (at-risk capital — NOT comp) 514 2212 15 6.5
Qualified-lead fees (flat, brand/adviser-directed) 155 2233 51 6.0
Registered IAR employment new 254 4225 52 5.0
Per-qualified-member funnel fee 154 2333 51 3.5
MediaCo revenue share (media/sponsorship/events P&L) new 125 2212 21 3.0
Creator-holdco equity purchase new 224 3212 21 2.0
Advisory-fee share (Marketing-Rule promoter) 155 4435 51 −2.0
Reg-rep commission — third-party placement agent 412 4224 15 −4.5
Reg-rep commission — affiliated BD / CAB 512 5325 15 −7.5
Bona-fide co-GP / origination carry 513 5334 15 −8.0
Scout-style carry on sourced deals 513 5334 15 −8.0
ANTI-PATTERN — unregistered creator paid on capital 511 2554 15 −16.0

Totals are computed from the canonical weighted-total formula; risk axes enter as negative penalties. The defaults are a starting point, not the answer — re-weight in the interactive model and the ranking re-sorts.

Weighting note. The newly-identified media/holdco mechanisms are the lowest-legal-risk options and rise toward the top when compliance-safety is weighted above RIA-growth — adjust the weights in the interactive model.

Navigate

Layer 1
Structures
8 entity structures — the adviser/vehicle/eligibility surface.
 Layer 2
Mechanisms
14 compensation mechanisms, scored and evidence-tagged.
 Framework
Methodology
The 9 axes, the weighting formula, and the DRIL legend.
 Primary law
Sources
Archived statutes, rules, and enforcement orders.
 Interactive
Model
Tunable weights, live re-ranking.