Your logic makes sense. I have to point out though, that in reasonably "high quality" startups, what I've seen is:
- Absolutely 1X liquidation preference
- strike price between 0.1X and 0,3X the preferred
- No accelerated vesting :)
- Significant retention plans are given upon liquidation to the the productive engineering team members, regardless of how many options they owned (I personally know folks who made little fortunes even if their options were completely worthless on liquidation day)
That being said I agree with your salary discount thing. I worked in other startups and I had been victim of that, and I'd never take a significant haircut again for some Monopoly money, all it takes is some education.
- Absolutely 1X liquidation preference
- strike price between 0.1X and 0,3X the preferred
- No accelerated vesting :)
- Significant retention plans are given upon liquidation to the the productive engineering team members, regardless of how many options they owned (I personally know folks who made little fortunes even if their options were completely worthless on liquidation day)
That being said I agree with your salary discount thing. I worked in other startups and I had been victim of that, and I'd never take a significant haircut again for some Monopoly money, all it takes is some education.