Good question and congratulations on your achievements with bootstrapping. I've been advocating for bootstrapping and/or MVF (Min. Viable Funding) for quite a while now. More here: RMentrepreneur.fyi.to/Bootstrap . As for your question, I'd offer them as little as possible, but enough to get them to join you. The entrepreneurial battle is not without its surprises, thus you want to keep your arsenal of weaponry as resourceful as possible. How to find the perfect number? I've hired hundreds of employees in my businesses and made a handful millionaires. Tony Reis' testimonial is on my profile. You can find more here: RMentrepreneur.fyi.to/LinkedIn Happy to take your call (reduced rates during the festive season btw).