I remember when a now very large startup cold emailed me to try and recruit me (I'm self-employed). Lots of new funding, out of the Valley, I asked if they paid

I remember when a now very large startup cold emailed me to try and recruit me (I'm self-employed). Lots of new funding, out of the Valley, I asked if they paid Valley wages since I wasn't living there, and they said, "oh, if you care that much about the compensation and not the mission, then you are the wrong type of person to join our team". LOL, sorry for not wanting to give my life for _your_ dream and not be paid fairly. Startups are some of the worst abusers of people's time and effort and they hide behind the trope of extreme effort and long hours for little pay that people come to just expect with the territory. I imagine nowadays they are having a bit of a harder time then they once did, but there are always dreamers and fools and examples of those that did and came out very well.