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Not sure if you’re not in the Bay Area, but for a counter point many (maybe most?) of friends I know have had large payoffs (though not always with options, som
by fossuser 5y ago
Not sure if you’re not in the Bay Area, but for a counter point many (maybe most?) of friends I know have had large payoffs (though not always with options, sometimes RSUs) - it does require some risk taking (holding onto them longer, not just immediately liquidating them, sometimes exercising options and floating that cost/tax until exit).
These payoffs range between 500k and $20M for people I know well with more clustered in the 500k-2M range. Higher level people I don’t know super well easily clear 50M+, this isn’t just one company exit event either *.
Equity should not be underrated.
* FB, Snap, Google (RSUs), Uber, Lyft, AirBnB, Tesla etc.
- apercu 5y agoYou are listing companies that in several cases have been around for decades. I was really thinking about the startups I have been involved with. I have never worked for a FAANG and have never had desire to. Also, the odds of 95% of HN readers actually getting a half a million dollar payout are probably extremely low. My guess is most will have my experience. If you like working at Facebook you also don't have to give up compensation for equity, so you will get a decent salary, not give up market value comp for equity and then never be made whole. :) I value equity a lot. Where I work I have 100% of the equity.
- john_yaya 5y agoThanks again for sharing your experience and perspectives on all this. It’s emboldening me to go indie and start my own company rather than chase the mirage of stock options.