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It's absolutely not appropriate to ask employees to work as well as actual co-founders. If you want them to work as well as co-founders, give them equity. Hell, I expect my employees to fight me for their rights, when I don't give them enough.

If you aren't going to pay your employees like co-founders, they should very well not work as cofounders.

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That wasn't what I meant.

What I was saying was that you want to inspire your employees with your vision, so that they feel a sense of purpose in your startup. When your startup is making meaning not just money, the satisfaction they get from doing work is more than any money or equity you can pay. They are committed.

And I'm not against giving employees equity at all. But inspiration is a higher level, and arguably the right kind of, motivation.

I agree, but I think that's something they grow into, rather than something you can enforce/influence. I have a feeling we agree, though.

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