A simple way to keep a fair and reasonable percentage in your startup when getting funding is this.
Argue you require a sufficient percentage to keep you motivated.
Tell them you need enough stake to bring out your best performance. That they are investing in your performance and that this is part of the human make up. Then remind them that you are human.
This is a very good tactic Steve. Rolling over and taking it sucks and drains your energy. It’s better to fight for a deal that you can be happy with. It’s even better to have investors who believe in you and are not greedy – but professional and supportive. Choosing your ideal investor might be even more important here – some VC’s you really should never take money from because they require to much time and energy to keep them happy, rather than the business growing.