FWIW, I think telling people “This salary was below what I originally would have considered, but as I learned and engaged with it more I decided the impact was worth it. I urge potential co-founders to reach out even if the salary seems prohibitive, you might change your mind.” is a perfectly reasonable and informative thing to say. Maybe even beautiful. It’s only surprising people I object to.
FWIW, I think telling people “This salary was below what I originally would have considered, but as I learned and engaged with it more I decided the impact was worth it. I urge potential co-founders to reach out even if the salary seems prohibitive, you might change your mind.” is a perfectly reasonable and informative thing to say. Maybe even beautiful. It’s only surprising people I object to.