[keywonc]

At a startup, every contractor work counts.

Two cases where I'd accept reduced rate are:

1) You're into who we are and what we're doing, and potentially want to become a part of us. In this case we are testing each other out, and there is a mutual risk and cost as the startup will have to make extra effort figuring out how to work well with you.

2) We're mutually doing a favor, concurrently, or in the future. e.g., we're in the same field or town and we want the both of us to succeed to increase our pie; we're personal friends who've been helping each other.

Otherwise, I would not want anything other than your best work for my startup, and will pay the fair price for it.