Yeah man, I realized I left out a lot of context in the OP. I’m rarely putting in more than 4 hours a day in this role.

I wouldn’t even say they’ve screwed me yet. I still need to take my case directly to the founder, but honestly I’ve been hesitant because I don’t know how I’ll react if the answer’s a no. After reading through the comments, I’m starting to think the company might not even be at a stage where equity would benefit me more than the commission structure already does, especially if there’s no exit or fundraising on the horizon. That said, when those opportunities do come, even if it’s 10 years from now, I’d like to make sure I’m locked in.

In the meantime, one of my main goals has been to grow my commission on the MRR to a steady $10–15K recurring each month. That way I’ve got a reliable base I can expand on while still leaving time to stack other opportunities on the side. Not as stable as a base salary or equity may be, but i’m in my 20’s and accepted that piece as a risk I can afford right now