I’ve been a solo founder for 2 years building my company, now I’m bringing in a strategy team of 6. What should I pay them?

**EDIT 1:** The team is my c-suite, they have experience in the industry and a network. I do not. **EDIT 2:** thanks all, I’m learning a lot I’ve scaled to six-figure ARR in D2C and am now leveraging that foundation to build a B2B platform. I’m heading into a seed round to scale D2C further, finish building out the B2B offering, and start piloting it with customers soon. I’ve pulled together an incredible team with tons of experience in areas where the business is set to grow. Their expertise, networks, and ability to open doors are invaluable—things I wouldn’t be able to do on my own. While I don’t necessarily need all of them to keep the business running, their insights and connections could make a huge difference. As a first-time founder with limited experience in this industry, I know having the right team is crucial. But I’m trying to figure out the best way to structure their compensation and equity. They’re experienced enough to justify strong offers, but at this stage, I need to be careful about protecting the company’s long-term equity and future hiring capacity. How do I find the right balance between offering meaningful equity and keeping enough ownership for future hires and funding rounds? Also, for roles that are more about strategic guidance or connections rather than day-to-day work, should equity be scaled differently? And since we’re still in the seed stage with revenue but not yet profitable, how should I think about salaries vs. equity-heavy packages? I’m excited about what’s ahead but want to make sure I’m being smart and fair while building this team. Any advice or frameworks for structuring these offers?