"You don't get what you deserve; you get what you negotiate." My two cents -- If you really think the company would be SOL without you, tell the founder this a

"You don't get what you deserve; you get what you negotiate." My two cents -- If you really think the company would be SOL without you, tell the founder this and say that you want founder's stock. I'd suggest asking for a significant but not ridiculous amount like 5% of the company. If you don't get it, quit. (Obviously, you shouldn't embark on this path if you can't afford to quit.)