All of the above, pretty much. Right now I make a six figure salary, and on top of that, I get stock options each month worth a few grand. To successfully poach me, you'd have to convince me of each of the following:
A) Your company is a better place to work than mine
B) Your problems are more interesting than the ones I'm working on now
C) You can pay me my current salary + a raise
D) You can pay me enough to give up the remaining stock option grants for the next year (since I assume the new company will have a 1-yr cliff for stock options... also disregarding differences in option amounts).
E) That your company will still be in business in at least 1 year, preferably 2.
Bonus: if I get a significant amount of stock (not options) in a pre-IPO circumstance where it's likely that I'll get $1MM+ for my share post-IPO or post-acquisition.
It's highly unlikely that this will come to pass. However, I may eventually become disenchanted with my current position, resign and then be willing to lower my standards.
A) Your company is a better place to work than mine B) Your problems are more interesting than the ones I'm working on now C) You can pay me my current salary + a raise D) You can pay me enough to give up the remaining stock option grants for the next year (since I assume the new company will have a 1-yr cliff for stock options... also disregarding differences in option amounts). E) That your company will still be in business in at least 1 year, preferably 2.
Bonus: if I get a significant amount of stock (not options) in a pre-IPO circumstance where it's likely that I'll get $1MM+ for my share post-IPO or post-acquisition.
It's highly unlikely that this will come to pass. However, I may eventually become disenchanted with my current position, resign and then be willing to lower my standards.