Re:Ask HN: How much equity should I ask for?
by maxdemarzi on Wednesday June 08, 2011 @05:29PM
(#2635113)
These kinds of questions are easy to answer if you put yourself in the other persons shoes.
I came up with the idea, I coded it, and I got in to an accelerator. Now a good engineer wants half? No way. I climbed part of the hill without him, I could just keep going.
I can hire him 6 months from now after the series A, and get him for 1% as a lead developer. I'll offer him 10% to come on board now, because accelerators are intense and I could use the help.
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If you're not going to be happy with 10%, ask for 20% and call it done. Start-ups are (mostly) bimodal, you'll make a shit ton of money or you won't make a dime. Worrying about a few % points just isn't worth it. Just get enough to feel good and get ready to work.
I came up with the idea, I coded it, and I got in to an accelerator. Now a good engineer wants half? No way. I climbed part of the hill without him, I could just keep going.
I can hire him 6 months from now after the series A, and get him for 1% as a lead developer. I'll offer him 10% to come on board now, because accelerators are intense and I could use the help.
--
If you're not going to be happy with 10%, ask for 20% and call it done. Start-ups are (mostly) bimodal, you'll make a shit ton of money or you won't make a dime. Worrying about a few % points just isn't worth it. Just get enough to feel good and get ready to work.