This seems well intentioned, but it strains credulity on a couple fronts: 1. This article is referring to VC backed startups, which generally speaking 9 of 10

This seems well intentioned, but it strains credulity on a couple fronts: 1. This article is referring to VC backed startups, which generally speaking 9 of 10 die. Are you going to statistically better at picking a winner than a VC (consider also that you aren't diversifying your investment as you only work at 1 startup at a time). 2. While transparency is indeed key, there are levels. It's unlikely any company is going to be so radically transparent as to tell you the details you'd need to actually determine their financial fitness going forward. Consider that Telltale Games last week managed to both hire a new developer, move them across the country and then call them into a meeting to let them know that they'd be let go along with most of the rest of the company in a massive layoff. That's a lack of transparency as to what is happening _within_ the company. 3. VC backed startups are just inherently volatile. I worked for a YC company that raised between $75-$100 mil (keeping it vague) and they were more or less insane: just weird unforced errors and oddness and Steve Jobs complex. They recently closed as their round failed due to a combination of IP theft, "Trump trade issues" and inability to execute in the face of more advanced competitors. It's often not just one thing that pushes a startup from "rocket ship" to "zombie", it's everything. 4. Being an early stage employee (non-founder) is a rough spot. Typically you're taking less on salary because of "generous" equity. However, you're also expected to work founder hours. As liquidity events have diminished, so have opportunities to actually cash out. All that being said, I'd still encourage people to work for a startup, but to do it on their own terms: to learn, to get a new experience, to try and set yourself up to do your own creation. Please just don't rely on picking a rocketship.