I never, ever work for sweat equity but what I've started doing for "idea people" is offering unlimited free consulting that doesn't include coding. In these e

I never, ever work for sweat equity but what I've started doing for "idea people" is offering unlimited free consulting that doesn't include coding. In these engagements, I'll do everything but code; requirements gathering, research, design documents, etc. And there's no obligation to work with me later. This gives them a sounding board for their idea and removes the pressure, which makes it more enjoyable for both of us. It also lets me see what kind of owner they are. I believe when people ask for you to work for "sweat equity," this is really what they need. They aren't ready to spend money but still want to know if their idea can work. It's better not to start coding on projects like that until someone is ready to drop some coin.