Can't agree more. One start-up which I worked for a few years went bust. It was an experience that brought up very complicated feelings of proud, pain, exciteme

Can't agree more. One start-up which I worked for a few years went bust. It was an experience that brought up very complicated feelings of proud, pain, excitement, upset, comradeship, disappointment, etc. Although it was painful to accept the outcome, it was not surprising, considering the odds of success. What I learned from the experience is: when you consider joining a startup, it doesn't matter what products they are building, what market they are pursuing, etc. What matters is the people you will work with. I learned a lot about how to read people during the up-and-down time, about what people you can trust, both their abilities and their personalities. If my ex-colleagues start new companies and ask me to join, I will jump in for some people as long as I can get enough cash to cover the living expenses of my family, and politely decline for some others.