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Sorry to hijack but I’m genuinely curious why you want to go to a big company. I would assume many of us view an acquisition and the ensuing payout precisely as

by sp527 8y ago

Sorry to hijack but I’m genuinely curious why you want to go to a big company. I would assume many of us view an acquisition and the ensuing payout precisely as a pathway to set the terms of our careers and NOT have to work for a large co. So you seem to at least be defying expectations. I’ve been at two of the FAANGs as well as several early stage companies, and my opinion is that a person who enjoys everything that comes with the startup life enough to see one through to an acquisition is likely to find him or herself grossly incompatible with the reality of working at a FAANG company. But I am very curious to hear your rationale.

davismwfl 8y ago
Not OP, but my 2 cents on this having bounced back and forth a couple of times between a founder and an employee at places. As a (co)founder life is stressful for quite awhile with a lot of pressure and weight on you. Even going through funding rounds is stressful, getting the money removes certain fears and stressors but raises others, so it isn't free of issues either. Joining a FAANG company allows you to play with some technologies you may not have been able to prior, or to play at a scale you weren't able to reach and add that to your list of skills. And do so at a lower level of stress than starting over as a founder. And sometimes, people find they aren't cut out to do the founder route after doing it so this is their way out. Basically, to me it is a way to reset yourself while getting paid, learning some new skills and staying relevant while you find your next thing.
kohanz 8y ago
I'm curious; were you an employee at the startups or a founder? The experience (and stress levels) will vary quite a bit between the two (and I'm not saying startup employees have it easy by any stretch). I can definitely see someone who has been in a founder role for years wanting to trade that for the stability, predictability and low-risk environment of a FAANG for a while, especially if they have a family, kids, etc. Although a few exceptional people can do both, most founders sacrifice elements of their personal lives in order to put enough energy into their businesses. A "successful" founder can be a failure at home. It's not that you're absent, but you're also not the best partner/parent/friend that you can be during those periods. A stable, "boring" job can be an opportunity to dedicate more to those important things.

by sp527 8y ago

davismwfl 8y ago

Not OP, but my 2 cents on this having bounced back and forth a couple of times between a founder and an employee at places. As a (co)founder life is stressful for quite awhile with a lot of pressure and weight on you. Even going through funding rounds is stressful, getting the money removes certain fears and stressors but raises others, so it isn't free of issues either. Joining a FAANG company allows you to play with some technologies you may not have been able to prior, or to play at a scale you weren't able to reach and add that to your list of skills. And do so at a lower level of stress than starting over as a founder. And sometimes, people find they aren't cut out to do the founder route after doing it so this is their way out. Basically, to me it is a way to reset yourself while getting paid, learning some new skills and staying relevant while you find your next thing.

kohanz 8y ago

I'm curious; were you an employee at the startups or a founder? The experience (and stress levels) will vary quite a bit between the two (and I'm not saying startup employees have it easy by any stretch). I can definitely see someone who has been in a founder role for years wanting to trade that for the stability, predictability and low-risk environment of a FAANG for a while, especially if they have a family, kids, etc. Although a few exceptional people can do both, most founders sacrifice elements of their personal lives in order to put enough energy into their businesses. A "successful" founder can be a failure at home. It's not that you're absent, but you're also not the best partner/parent/friend that you can be during those periods. A stable, "boring" job can be an opportunity to dedicate more to those important things.