My point is that there is a reasonable and fair metric and strategy by which to grant stock, and that this metric is not based on subjective and speculative and unmeasurable ideas about someone’s supposed risk and/or future contribution to the company. You’re making all great points, but none so far have been reasons not to grant stock according to a simple formula that considers the company’s valuation and the employee’s non-cash-compensated time investment. The top comment I replied to was referring to a subjective notion of “risk” on the part of investors, and that’s what I’m responding to by pointing out that investors and employees are risking exactly the same thing, especially if the employees do what you said here and evaluate what role they want to play the same way the investor did.
Again, all true statements, but I’m still not hearing any suggestion or viable alternative for how to value an employee’s equity, or how to grant stock. What are you suggesting? How would you grant stock as a founder? Have you started a company before?
I'll note that nothing is actually stopping you from saying "sorry, no I don't want to work at your startup but would you take a 100k investment instead?" & becoming an investor yourself. You get to choose which role you want to play so why is "but I put time equity into it & didn't get rewarded the same" a fairness axis? You have access to all the information at your fingertips. To me if you're unhappy with a particular outcome that depends on which side of the equation you were on, that has to do with your own decision making ability/negotiating ability.