You're sharing value in something that can't possibly be defined yet. There is no market rate for that, that's my point. Web Designers don't get "x" value, beca

You're sharing value in something that can't possibly be defined yet. There is no market rate for that, that's my point. Web Designers don't get "x" value, because some designers might be as valuable as the founders, might actually be the founders or might just be a contract job. You've got a scale from 0% to 100% right there. The only thing you can really do is equate the risk/value proposition in a way that seems fair for the amount of risk they are putting in. Are they working without pay? Are they doing this part time? Are they making suggestions that are helping you to decide the direction of the company? All of these are variables that you need to weigh. Offering a piece of your company is a not normally a form of primary employee compensation. If you are looking at the designer as simply an employee, you'd be better off paying them, otherwise, you should IMO, not consider your designer as simply an employee. Does that make more sense?