"No guardrail environment" is a great way to put it. I've worked in a large corp IT department and for start ups. I'd say the most value in working for a star

"No guardrail environment" is a great way to put it. I've worked in a large corp IT department and for start ups. I'd say the most value in working for a start up comes from being in the core group of founders and first employees. After that point, my perception is that it's more of a toss up - if you're going to be a rank and file junior developer on the periphery of the decisions that shape the company, an established company could in many cases be a better choice.