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Ask HN: Company Doing 6 Month Crunch

Last week during the company update our CEO told everyone that we need to work early, stay late, and tell our families to support us while we work overtime to make the company look strong enough to raise another round of funding or we'll be forced to sell the company. I work at a well known startup company in the valley that needs to raise a series c round in the next year. I've been working here for several years and have a good amount of equity as an early engineer, so I don't want to leave necessarily, but at the same time I'm 100% put off by being forced into working crazy hours for half a year with no real end in sight. Does it sound like I should start looking for a new job at this point based on your past experiences? My gut is telling me yes, but I don't want to trust it =/

minsight 10y ago
"a good amount of equity", apparently worthless without working like a slave. I'd leave.
chatmasta 10y ago
Are they going to pay you overtime?
- throwaway32452 10y ago
  No. Everyone is on salary.
petervandijck 10y ago
Let's see, a few questions: 1. How much equity has already vested, in USD: 1. 10K-ish, 2. 100K-ish, 3. 1M K-ish+. 2. How many years away would an exit be where your equity would be worth something? 1. 1-2y, 2. 3-5y, 3. 5-10y 3. How good a view do you have on the company's current state and in how much trouble it is? 1. Little, they don't tell us much, 2. Quite a bit, they keep us well informed including runway, 3. Lots, I'm involved in the top executive meetings where we discuss this.
- throwaway32452 10y ago
  1. We have options. I have vested quite a few. It would cost a lot of money to exercise them (~50k). 2. If I had to guess: 3-5 years. 3. They are semi-transparent. They give us runway info, and a general sense for things, but not specifics.
endswapper 10y ago
Always listen to your gut. Understand your own boundaries, and when you confidently believe they are rational, communicate them and practice them. A half a year doesn't seem like long, and I wouldn't expect "a good amount of equity," (that actually pays off) without working crazy hours.
davidgerard 10y ago
Nobody can produce for six months at twelve hours a day. That's why we have an eight hour day. They have no idea what they're doing.
RandomOpinion 10y ago
It boils down a simple question: what is your health worth to you? Make no mistake, extended crunch will take a toll on your body and mind and put considerable strain any relationships you may have. What good will your equity do you if you're ill or burnt out?
shivakaush 10y ago
> to make the company look strong enough This make the company look like it has weak leadership and is clawing for scraps. A strong company would switch to 4 hr days and still survive...
cauterized 10y ago
6 months is not a crunch. It's a death march. Are you sure you want to be there? I would get off the sinking ship before it ruins your health - physical or mental.

minsight 10y ago

"a good amount of equity", apparently worthless without working like a slave. I'd leave.

chatmasta 10y ago

Are they going to pay you overtime?

throwaway32452 10y ago
No. Everyone is on salary.

petervandijck 10y ago

Let's see, a few questions: 1. How much equity has already vested, in USD: 1. 10K-ish, 2. 100K-ish, 3. 1M K-ish+. 2. How many years away would an exit be where your equity would be worth something? 1. 1-2y, 2. 3-5y, 3. 5-10y 3. How good a view do you have on the company's current state and in how much trouble it is? 1. Little, they don't tell us much, 2. Quite a bit, they keep us well informed including runway, 3. Lots, I'm involved in the top executive meetings where we discuss this.

throwaway32452 10y ago
1. We have options. I have vested quite a few. It would cost a lot of money to exercise them (~50k). 2. If I had to guess: 3-5 years. 3. They are semi-transparent. They give us runway info, and a general sense for things, but not specifics.

endswapper 10y ago

Always listen to your gut. Understand your own boundaries, and when you confidently believe they are rational, communicate them and practice them. A half a year doesn't seem like long, and I wouldn't expect "a good amount of equity," (that actually pays off) without working crazy hours.

davidgerard 10y ago

Nobody can produce for six months at twelve hours a day. That's why we have an eight hour day. They have no idea what they're doing.

RandomOpinion 10y ago

It boils down a simple question: what is your health worth to you? Make no mistake, extended crunch will take a toll on your body and mind and put considerable strain any relationships you may have. What good will your equity do you if you're ill or burnt out?

shivakaush 10y ago

> to make the company look strong enough This make the company look like it has weak leadership and is clawing for scraps. A strong company would switch to 4 hr days and still survive...

cauterized 10y ago

6 months is not a crunch. It's a death march. Are you sure you want to be there? I would get off the sinking ship before it ruins your health - physical or mental.