They weren't working for 1% - that's what I was offered. A chance to work for $0 for an undetermined amount of time on something with no other technical resources or colleagues, all in exchange for perhaps getting 1% of something I have little control over.
I've said "thanks but no thanks" both times.
In one case, I mentioned that typically someone working for $0 with no end in sight, essentially building a prototype from scratch is more considered a founder/cofounder, and would generally be given a more equitable split. I got told that I didn't understand, because person X had already put a lot of time in to the project, and since I wasn't there on day 1 (when they were thinking about it in the garage), then I wasn't cofounder material (or words to that effect).
Odd how much the 'startup myth' prevents some people from moving forward.
Believe me, after a few meetings with people, that comes out pretty quick. The couple times I've let it get that far, I've kicked myself for the time wasting.
Should I have known on day 1? Possibly, and sometimes I do, but I don't want to live my entire life distrusting 100% of what people tell me on day 1.
I've said "thanks but no thanks" both times.
In one case, I mentioned that typically someone working for $0 with no end in sight, essentially building a prototype from scratch is more considered a founder/cofounder, and would generally be given a more equitable split. I got told that I didn't understand, because person X had already put a lot of time in to the project, and since I wasn't there on day 1 (when they were thinking about it in the garage), then I wasn't cofounder material (or words to that effect).
Odd how much the 'startup myth' prevents some people from moving forward.