What do you think you could get in terms of salary at the best-paying company that you could be happy working at?<p>EDIT: Actually, let me expand.<p>1. That does seem like lower-than-expected equity for a senior employee at a small start-up that's pre-series-A.<p>2. But on some level, I don't think that should be the controlling factor. I'm assuming here that this is a pretty run-of-the-mill seemingly doing-well pre-series-A startup. That is, it'll be at least five years, and probably more like ten, before it monetizes, and the chance of it monetizing is sub-10%. And your options would vest over the course of 4 years with a 1 year cliff.<p>3. So that said, if you're going to be there 4 years, and the company is going to do well enough over those 4 years for us to care what your equity is, then I would assume that 4 years from now, you'll be a critical member of the leadership team. The company will have had to grow a lot, you're senior already, so... right? There's plenty of chance to, in that case, have your equity position "right-size" with the company. To, in other words, re-grant stock based on whatever inflation happens and based on how you work out as a member of the inner team of the company.<p>4. And given how far off any equity payout is, and how uncertain it is, I'd think that your decision to go with the company should be based on salary, what you expect the salary to do in the next year or two, and whether you believe that you can become a member of the leadership team of the company and whether you would enjoy all of that.<p>5. If, on the other hand, this company has some kind of special sauce that means that equity payout is more likely or more near-term, then, well, maybe that justifies the lower equity award.