I've done a similar move, so for my part, I'd say that I miss the learning opportunities. Large companies usually have people with a deep knowledge in one part

I've done a similar move, so for my part, I'd say that I miss the learning opportunities. Large companies usually have people with a deep knowledge in one particular skillset, whereas small companies are more likely to be made up of generalists. One person, for example, had worked for 2 decades only in securing IT processes for insurance companies. Another was a project manager with a real gift for spinning a positive story from what I saw as a disaster. I learned a lot, even from people who otherwise mostly frustrated me. That being said, I've filled that gap with meetups and deliberate networking. I have no regrets about making the trade-off.