Compensation simply and purely. I'm taking a risk coming to join your start-up that has a high likelihood of failure. Pay me as such. You as the founder likely

Compensation simply and purely. I'm taking a risk coming to join your start-up that has a high likelihood of failure. Pay me as such. You as the founder likely aren't taking as much of a risk as me an employee would be, especially if you didn't put your own money and are mostly operating on other's money. Not only do I lose the opportunity cost of a big-co with a safe job and stable hours, but I also have almost no control of decisions or outcome despite how much you the owner want me to feel like an "owner". Don't delude yourself into thinking your special and deserve more compensation than any of your early employees. A lot start-ups seem to forget this and tend to offer senior skilled people paltry "stock options" that are points of a percentage.