What you hear
“The cash comp is modest, sure, but the equity piece is where the real upside is. Early employees at Stripe made generational wealth.”
What it may mean
Get the terms in writing.Here's the psychology at work: they're paying you in lottery tickets and calling it compensation. Equity CAN be enormously valuable — but so can a painting by an unknown artist. The trouble is, you can't pay rent with either. Before accepting equity in lieu of salary, understand vesting schedules, dilution, and liquidation preferences — or you may discover your 'ownership stake' has the purchasing power of Monopoly money.