In early-stage startups, technical employees may find themselves doing the work of a co-founder while receiving only 1% or less equity, which is not a fair arrangement.

It's common for technical employees to receive significantly less equity than their non-technical counterparts, which can lead to feelings of being ripped off.

The first four to six years of a tech startup are critical for value creation, and even if one founder stays longer, it's important to share equity generously with co-founders who contributed to the startup's early success.

Most startups are not generous enough with employee equity, and you should demand fair treatment in terms of compensation.

Founders should be generous with equity for early employees, as they are the ones who build the company over time.

Early employees should receive more equity than those who join later because they take on greater risks and work harder in a chaotic startup environment.

In cases of unequal equity splits, a common mistake is assuming that one co-founder deserves a significantly larger share simply because of an agreement, which can lead to imbalances and conflicts.

Cap tables with unequal equity splits, where founders have sold large portions of their company early, are concerning.

Be generous with co-founder equity to motivate your founding team during the challenging early years of a startup.