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Won't this method discourage you from working with startups at all? Generally, they offer less cash, longer hours in exchange for more equity. If you value th

by tarr11 11y ago

Won't this method discourage you from working with startups at all? Generally, they offer less cash, longer hours in exchange for more equity. If you value the equity at zero, the rational thing to do is avoid working for a startup at all.

sanderjd 11y ago
I think from a purely financial calculus, that's right, but most people make decisions based on non-financial incentives as well, and startups sometimes score highly on that front. There are tons of variables here where startups can be more attractive than big companies: bureaucracy, job self-determination, responsibility relative to experience, passion / cynicism, etc. And the biggest one is probably learning how startups work so that you have a huge leg-up if you start your own one day.
- ChuckMcM 11y ago
  Exactly this, you work at a startup because you are passionate about the mission, or you want to learn something outside your basic skills training, you want to work with someone you respect, or you like to challenge yourself. Never ever ever work at a startup because you feel it is a way to financial success. You believe in the mission - often startups will take on business or social challenges that are unserved by larger companies. This can be very rewarding to be part of a solution to an otherwise unserved or underserved customer. You want to stretch your boundaries - titles in startups are rarely indicative of what you do, often you may participate in marketing, QA, development, business development, sales, project management, operations, and product management just by showing up that week. Rarely do you get a chance in a large company to "try on" a role that isn't on your resume, nor when you do get that chance, get the leeway to try several in a short amount of time. You may want to work at a technology company but not sure of what role you want, a startup lets you try many roles. Further when you find one you like you can live it for a while and then move to a larger company in that same type of role. Work with someone you respect - Sometimes you will find a startup where someone you know, either in person or through meetups or other social sites that you respect and feel you could learn from. If they are at a startup you may find it easier to get employed and work with them than you would if they were ensconced in some high office at a large company. Challenging yourself - startups are usually fast paced, stressful, and often have a lot of unknowns flying around. Being able to focus and get stuff done in that sort of an environment is a learned skill. Being able to "go with the flow" on a project, change directions quickly, and see promising areas of development in the midst of crashing and burning are all things people often experience in startups. That sort of stamina can be useful in large companies but it is hard to learn it in large companies. Don't join a startup to "get rich." You will end up burned out and disappointed and it can take years to get past that.
  - sanderjd 11y ago
    Thanks, this is a fantastic, detailed, expansion on the point I was trying to make in haste. I would also add that startups are good for "networking", which is best done by working closely with people day in and day out. Startups give you a chance to form much closer relationships with people much higher up the company food chain, and those people are likely to be successful even if the startup isn't.

by tarr11 11y ago

sanderjd 11y ago

I think from a purely financial calculus, that's right, but most people make decisions based on non-financial incentives as well, and startups sometimes score highly on that front. There are tons of variables here where startups can be more attractive than big companies: bureaucracy, job self-determination, responsibility relative to experience, passion / cynicism, etc. And the biggest one is probably learning how startups work so that you have a huge leg-up if you start your own one day.

ChuckMcM 11y ago
Exactly this, you work at a startup because you are passionate about the mission, or you want to learn something outside your basic skills training, you want to work with someone you respect, or you like to challenge yourself. Never ever ever work at a startup because you feel it is a way to financial success. You believe in the mission - often startups will take on business or social challenges that are unserved by larger companies. This can be very rewarding to be part of a solution to an otherwise unserved or underserved customer. You want to stretch your boundaries - titles in startups are rarely indicative of what you do, often you may participate in marketing, QA, development, business development, sales, project management, operations, and product management just by showing up that week. Rarely do you get a chance in a large company to "try on" a role that isn't on your resume, nor when you do get that chance, get the leeway to try several in a short amount of time. You may want to work at a technology company but not sure of what role you want, a startup lets you try many roles. Further when you find one you like you can live it for a while and then move to a larger company in that same type of role. Work with someone you respect - Sometimes you will find a startup where someone you know, either in person or through meetups or other social sites that you respect and feel you could learn from. If they are at a startup you may find it easier to get employed and work with them than you would if they were ensconced in some high office at a large company. Challenging yourself - startups are usually fast paced, stressful, and often have a lot of unknowns flying around. Being able to focus and get stuff done in that sort of an environment is a learned skill. Being able to "go with the flow" on a project, change directions quickly, and see promising areas of development in the midst of crashing and burning are all things people often experience in startups. That sort of stamina can be useful in large companies but it is hard to learn it in large companies. Don't join a startup to "get rich." You will end up burned out and disappointed and it can take years to get past that.
- sanderjd 11y ago
  Thanks, this is a fantastic, detailed, expansion on the point I was trying to make in haste. I would also add that startups are good for "networking", which is best done by working closely with people day in and day out. Startups give you a chance to form much closer relationships with people much higher up the company food chain, and those people are likely to be successful even if the startup isn't.