I worked with one startup on an equity only basis, and it didn't even finish getting started. Here are some of my thoughts on what you're asking: 1. You are a

I worked with one startup on an equity only basis, and it didn't even finish getting started. Here are some of my thoughts on what you're asking: 1. You are a startup that isn't even started yet. No matter how many pieces are in place, there are many opportunities for it to go wrong. Remember this when you expect someone else to invest into your vision. The risk/reward should be there. 2. Consider starting someone out working in a low commitment/low risk way. i.e. take someone with potential and pay them to do some stuff. This will make it easier to recruit this someone and give them a chance to find out how they like working with you and if they buy into your vision. The startup I did some consulting for consisted of people I already knew and I felt they had a pretty solid model. Overall though it hasn't "started up" yet because they got in their own way. 3. Consider giving away equity for a very well scoped deliverable. With the startup I worked with, I took a small slice of equity in exchange for working with them to create a product functional specification and to deliver on that spec as-is. I liked this arrangement because it limited my commitment to them and they liked it because it tied my slice to a deliverable. Overall it comes down to this: let them date you before deciding they want to marry you. Don't go on a first date expecting it to turn into marriage. P.S. for your job ad, this analogy carries over there as well. Emphasize what you bring to the relationship and less about the expectations you have from them. Good luck!