There's an old saying: "the best way to get rich is to help a rich person get even richer." If a small handful of people can create and sell a product that is

There's an old saying: "the best way to get rich is to help a rich person get even richer." If a small handful of people can create and sell a product that is profitable and scales well enough, they will be rewarded. However, the employees brought on after the company is profitable and/or has a high valuation (>$100m) are simply seen as costs. They have to be on-boarded and given the relatively low wage ceiling compared to the early employees, they have ample reason to quit and move after a year or two, so they become a turnover headache as well. Not to mention, the newbies are often the first to go if a layoff is necessary. So, in short, don't let yourself become expendable.