Ideas are worthless. Proper execution is priceless.

The Conundrum

Most programmers (engineers, game devs, hobbyists, data scientists, etc.) will be asked to "help execute an idea" by a friend, a co-worker, or a stranger on an internet forum. The pitch usually goes something like this:

Hey <name>,
 
I've got this really cool idea for an app. 
I can't pay you, but I'll give you a percentage of the company/profits if you build it.
Sound good?

-Enterpreneur

There's nothing natively wrong with this request, but this pitch isn't going to get any skilled developers on board. Very few ideas are novel/valuable, and ideas that are valuable are painstakingly difficult to execute and cannot be achieved without an organized team.

How to properly pitch an idea

Provide some damn value. Provide funding for assets. Provide marketing or UI/UX expertise. Provide your own programming knowledge. Art skills. Architectural layouts. Industry specific knowledge.