[superkinz]

Maybe, but when you're being offered such a large chunk of equity I think folks tend to think of it more like a partnership. I mean 60% and 40% are relatively equal and generally on par with the kind of split many serial entrepreneurs think there ought to exist, whether you agree with that or not.

Well finding technically skilled people who are available and willing to work on your project isn't exactly easy. He may have embraced that a little sooner than other entrepreneurs and decided to go for something juicy enough that he could make headway.

[soneill]

Well, that's kind of the point, isn't it? As a non-technical business founder myself, I just can't understand what that guy possibly would have been thinking. I'd never give up that much of my company unless the other party was coming on board as full partner, meaning they're also going to be sharing all the financial and legal risks (and yes, that means contributing money as well as time). If you value your company at all, 40% is a massive sum to pay someone unless they're sharing all the risks with you, not just spending some of their time. Just giving yourself a $1 million dollar valuation, that means paying someone $400,000 to handle just one element of your business...and you could probably get it done a lot cheaper if you just took the time to go through your options.

As for finding technically skilled people who are available and want to work, it's not easy, but nothing in business is easy. It's no harder than any other part of a business, it just requires persistence and knowing where to look (I should know, I've hired a bunch of them in the last 6 months). Taking a shortcut and throwing a bunch of equity at the problem just shows the kind of lack of foresight that should make you question whether you really want to work with that kind of person.