Specifically, both you and your wife should have vesting shares. After all, there's a reason that most people do not start up with their loved ones - they say that the best family business is a sole proprietorship. This isn't a corner store and you and your wife might find your marriage taxed by this radical twist on your relationship.
Would you start up with your wife if you weren't married? If not, then my polite suggestion is that you hire your wife and give her lots of equity for her contributions. Taking on a business partner is an incredibly important decision, and if you wouldn't hire her otherwise then it's a potentially questionable decision now. I wouldn't belabour this point but you didn't explain her background.
The other thing is that it pays to startup with a good idea. I'm a big believer in MVPs and pivoting and trying things until it works... but the fact remains that most ideas are terrible and it's hard to tell when one of your ideas is terrible. Most people around you are inclined to tell you how great an idea it is, because they can see in your eyes that you want them to love it. This is an extremely dangerous confirmation bias because you can and will waste your valuable energy and enthusiasm.
In short: seek people that you can trust to give you honest feedback on your ideas. Steve Blank's 4 Steps to the Epiphany is worth the kudos it receives. And most important of all: make sure all founders have vesting shares.
I do have some cautionary advice, though... I say everything here without knowing you, your wife or your idea.
First off, make sure that you read this article and follow it unless you have a good reason not to:
http://startuplawyer.com/startup-issues/if-i-launched-a-star...
Specifically, both you and your wife should have vesting shares. After all, there's a reason that most people do not start up with their loved ones - they say that the best family business is a sole proprietorship. This isn't a corner store and you and your wife might find your marriage taxed by this radical twist on your relationship.
Would you start up with your wife if you weren't married? If not, then my polite suggestion is that you hire your wife and give her lots of equity for her contributions. Taking on a business partner is an incredibly important decision, and if you wouldn't hire her otherwise then it's a potentially questionable decision now. I wouldn't belabour this point but you didn't explain her background.
The other thing is that it pays to startup with a good idea. I'm a big believer in MVPs and pivoting and trying things until it works... but the fact remains that most ideas are terrible and it's hard to tell when one of your ideas is terrible. Most people around you are inclined to tell you how great an idea it is, because they can see in your eyes that you want them to love it. This is an extremely dangerous confirmation bias because you can and will waste your valuable energy and enthusiasm.
In short: seek people that you can trust to give you honest feedback on your ideas. Steve Blank's 4 Steps to the Epiphany is worth the kudos it receives. And most important of all: make sure all founders have vesting shares.