I left about $20k in options on the table when I left a company that was acquired about 4 months after I left. My coworker who stayed ended up doing great, but

I left about $20k in options on the table when I left a company that was acquired about 4 months after I left. My coworker who stayed ended up doing great, but not because of options. The company put him on a $100k-per-year retainer for 4 years to stay on and help port the project. Retainers are often much better for the little people.