You're right, Peter. I am a very early employee, but even considering my equity stake, this was not a good move if the only measurement is personal net worth.

You're right, Peter. I am a very early employee, but even considering my equity stake, this was not a good move if the only measurement is personal net worth. What I failed to convey is the feeling of accomplishment from personally contributing to the company, and the notion of ownership in the company. In a huge consultancy, you never really feel like you're personally moving the needle of the enterprise. You're paid for your work and you get bonuses based on company performance, but that's just one form of compensation. I like that in a small startup, salary & equity compensation is just one piece of the picture. I like that I can increase the value of the company itself, and the company itself is important to me personally. I'm compensated tangibly in the form of salary & equity and intangibly in the form of pride.