ASk HN: second thoughts about joining startup - what to do?
SwellJoe: You're talking to the wrong people.  We can't fix the fact that your friend is mad with power, and has a weak grasp on the value of an idea without someone to execute it.You need to talk to your friend, and tell him you would love to work with him on this, but the opportunity cost only makes sense if you are an equal partner in the venture.  You simply can't take those kinds of risks, accept so little income, work those kinds of hours, without a reasonable expectation of equal sharing in the results of the work.  If he wants you to work for him, rather than be a co-founder, he should be offering competitive market rates and benefits (or contractor rates and no benefits; you could even offer him the "friend" rate of $100/hour rather than the regular rate of $150/hour).  He'll either realize he's being a douche, or yell at you to GTFO and never call him again.  Either way, you come out ahead and you don't get screwed out of a couple of years of your life just to wind up in a crappy job where you're under-appreciated and underpaid.