I've been in the tech industry for 30 years. I've also been mostly startup based my entire time. I've only ever had options "work out" a single time and that w

I've been in the tech industry for 30 years. I've also been mostly startup based my entire time. I've only ever had options "work out" a single time and that was because long after I left the company (I bought my vested options), it went public and my options converted into actual stock. However, the stock was absolute shit worthless for about 10 years, so I hung onto it thinking one day, I'd sell it and harvest the tax loss. Then, during covid, WSB came along and randomly pumped it and my limit order for the very tip of the market, was actually filled. Much to my amazement. Then, the stock went to the bottom again almost the next day. I think I "profited" about $5k total out of that deal across many years. My last company, was supposed to go through a SPAC, likely so that the execs could dump on retail. I spent like $30k on my options and near the end of everything in the hopes of getting some of it back, the whole deal fell through and I got laid off for the first time in my career. Maybe I just have bad luck in these things, but every time I picked a higher salary over more options... it worked out better in the long run, by a lot. Now that I'm CEO of my own business, I have zero plans to ever go public or even sell the company. I'd much rather have it be focused on stable revenue generation, and make sure to pay people well, and give company performance bonuses along the way. Yes, of course, we will also give options out, as the industry expects it, but I'm not going to make it a focus (by preferring good salaries, benefits and a stable gig). I'll be upfront about my plans for anyone joining. I would much rather be real with people than give them any sort of false hope. We are just starting, so let's see how that works out over time.