Maybe you’re willing to take a pay cut to work alongside seasoned founders, or perhaps you won’t take the job without the promise of equity. Either approach is fine, you will need to determine your walk-away point; what’s the bare minimum you’ll accept?
Ultimately, the questions you truly need to repeat are: Do I care about the mission? Do I believe in the product, service, or founders? If those answers are “yes,” you might be closer to a decision than you think.