Lots of good posts.
But 4 or 8 partners can bring in 8 times more skills, contacts, and work hours.
I would prefer 8 partners to 2 -- given the skills and experience the OP posted.
And would make a very simple term sheet for future equity, based on work brought in or executed, and profits.
8 partners are potentially 8 great salesmen, or 8 great executors.
The term sheet must be done up front.
Otherwise, everyone will always fight about everything.
Someone bringing in cash may be more valuable, in the beginning, and may later choose to do nothing.
So what ?
The cash allowed the expansion and the profits.
Same applies to sales and execution.
E. If someone brings in a client with 60% of the sales, say 4M$ per year at 40%, and that is most of the initial sales, that person is the senior partner no matter what happens later.
E. If someone brings in 100k cash that allows hiring 2 salesmen, or buying a needed piece of equipment, that lead to 4M$ in sales at 40%, that person is the senior partner.
If You don´t like 1. or 2. bring in Your own deals and Your own cash.
If You don´t have the cash, but someone else does, and this makes Your NewCompany successful, be grateful, even if they get 4x more than You.
For 8 people, something like a matrix and timeline with everyone getting an initial 6% stake, and 2-3% stakes being awarded to anyone else on a rolling scale based on results might/would be a good idea.
Many will complain, especially married guys, and say thats a race for the gold.
Yes. It is. Thats what a company is.
You want everyone to benefit the company, as much as possible.
More partners is better than few partners.
Think like a venture capitalist.
I don´t care what the other guy makes, I want ME (US) to make bank.