A startup's early employees are typically compensated in equity before there is a revenue stream to support salaries. The same can be true of early advisors and service providers (like attorneys). Determining amount and type of equity provided is something of an art. There are a lot of theories on employee equity floating around out there on the internet. In my opinion, best practice is to set aside an employee equity pool (to provide for visibility in terms of dilution) and award equity in return for services rendered. For employees, it is important that this is done through an option plan that includes vesting over time and protections for the company. Often, there is a certain amount of risk involved in an employee accepting equity rather than cash, so be prepared to make a determination as to the value of the company (and its stock as compensation) and what might be an appropriate premium to compensate for that risk. The specifics really depend on the company, the details of your progress, and your immediate plans. Happy to answer follow up questions or discuss further by phone call.