I had just gotten hired as employee #9 by a startup which was growing fast making software network components, and after me three more devs were hired in the ne

I had just gotten hired as employee #9 by a startup which was growing fast making software network components, and after me three more devs were hired in the next month. Next month we moved into a much bigger office, with a lovely view and lots of space for growth - then boom, the crash (gradually) struck: the three people who'd come in after me were let go, one at a time, and the rest of us were asked to work part time - volunteering how much part of the time was. We split the office and squashed into a small part. I worked one day on / one day off for a couple of years (maybe a bit less) while our boss scrambled for sales. He was a great guy, was very open and helpful to us all, and did eventually get the company back on its feet and eventually sold it. The five founders did well, the boss retired three years later, and even I did OK (worked for the company that bought us for eight more years, then also retired.)