There's usually more than one knob to twist too. salary + equity + benefits + time off + freedom. You can say 0.8x salary + 1.5x equity or 1.2x salary + 1.1x

There's usually more than one knob to twist too. salary + equity + benefits + time off + freedom. You can say 0.8x salary + 1.5x equity or 1.2x salary + 1.1x equity, etc. That's where the range comes in. Not a range of salary, but a range of combinations of options. In any case, as the weaker party in employment negotiates, it's best to never volunteer any concrete information yourself.