If you're not getting paid, and you're only getting employee equity, you're getting screwed. They might not be able to afford the salary now, but they can defin

If you're not getting paid, and you're only getting employee equity, you're getting screwed. They might not be able to afford the salary now, but they can definitely afford the equity - it's just a number on some paper, especially before investors are involved. Part of the reason that founders get a lot of equity is to offset the cost of not getting paid for the early years of starting the company, and being below market rates afterward. If you're getting paid, then sure, getting less equity makes sense - in two years, if it goes belly up, you have two years of salary, they have nothing. Whatever you choose, get everything in writing first. Even best friends can become enemies when there's money and verbal agreements involved.