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>But if I had to do it all over again, I still might do the startup route. It's just more fun. There's more to life than money. Easy to say because you have go

>But if I had to do it all over again, I still might do the startup route. It's just more fun. There's more to life than money. Easy to say because you have gotten the money. :-D

Cofike 8y ago
Yeah and it’s one hundred percent true. If the story wasn’t “I won the lottery” but instead was “I missed out big time” that may change things significantly
- munchbunny 8y ago
  I'm a case where I don't really expect to ever see the equity pay out, but I might still have gone the startup route for the fun and the learning. But if I were to go back in time and advise myself, I would have taken more cash and less equity. At the time, I took more equity and less cash. As someone just starting out, the hidden cost of exercising and the tax bill that follows was staggering. It would have eaten up most of my fledgeling liquidity and dug into my rainy day fund. My advice to my former self would be to take more cash over equity and invest that cash in the public markets. Diversify your investments to reduce the risk of the giant startup bet you're about to make. Compounding is a hell of a thing, even over four years, and people tend to forget to account for investment returns when they value their cash.
tjomk 8y ago
Not really. I've applied for a startup, got accepted, the next day received a one in a lifetime opportunity to do something I've been dreaming of (security research at a huge and famous company). Went to do the dream job only to quit after 6 weeks and return to the startup. Best decision ever. I didn't win the lottery ticket, but I am also not coming back to a regular job. Yes, you usually get paid less (or much less), yes my peers climb the corporate ladder, have better cars and houses, but I have a more rewarding job, I get to work remotely and travel often, and I can work from home whenever I want. I also hate the hierarchy that eventually comes as the company grows.

>But if I had to do it all over again, I still might do the startup route. It's just more fun. There's more to life than money. Easy to say because you have gotten the money. :-D

Cofike 8y ago

Yeah and it’s one hundred percent true. If the story wasn’t “I won the lottery” but instead was “I missed out big time” that may change things significantly

munchbunny 8y ago
I'm a case where I don't really expect to ever see the equity pay out, but I might still have gone the startup route for the fun and the learning. But if I were to go back in time and advise myself, I would have taken more cash and less equity. At the time, I took more equity and less cash. As someone just starting out, the hidden cost of exercising and the tax bill that follows was staggering. It would have eaten up most of my fledgeling liquidity and dug into my rainy day fund. My advice to my former self would be to take more cash over equity and invest that cash in the public markets. Diversify your investments to reduce the risk of the giant startup bet you're about to make. Compounding is a hell of a thing, even over four years, and people tend to forget to account for investment returns when they value their cash.

tjomk 8y ago

Not really. I've applied for a startup, got accepted, the next day received a one in a lifetime opportunity to do something I've been dreaming of (security research at a huge and famous company). Went to do the dream job only to quit after 6 weeks and return to the startup. Best decision ever. I didn't win the lottery ticket, but I am also not coming back to a regular job. Yes, you usually get paid less (or much less), yes my peers climb the corporate ladder, have better cars and houses, but I have a more rewarding job, I get to work remotely and travel often, and I can work from home whenever I want. I also hate the hierarchy that eventually comes as the company grows.