There is extremely good advice in the parent post. For those new to the game, please read it closely. I've been with 5 startups over the last 15 years. Each

There is extremely good advice in the parent post. For those new to the game, please read it closely. I've been with 5 startups over the last 15 years. Each had developed good, commercially-viable, revenue-generating tech. But, in all cases, instead of going IPO, each was acquired. And, usually they were acquired by other investors' or board members' companies (sometimes at a loss). I would love to know the actual statistics for how many 'ground floor' developers get rich on options, but I'm guessing that it's very few. Startup culture is cool - I love it. They give me piles of money to experiment and develop new stuff and build new products. If you have an 'inventor mindset', like a casual work culture, and like to see shit get done, it's a great way to go. But, unless you're a founder or very early employee, make sure you negotiate for market-rate compensation with reasonable working hours. Of course, this all depends on the specific company and its board, but generally the options game is a scam. I've made a decent amount of money over the last 15 years - enough to retire on. But, very, very little of that was from a big startup cash-out. Instead, I just negotiated my salary and benefits effectively, saved a ton, and invested as much as I could. Compound interest is your friend; your employer's stock options? not so much.