I guess even if, and that’s a big if, a founder agrees to give an early employee Class A shares (I guess that would be the top tier, wouldn’t it?), even that co

I guess even if, and that’s a big if, a founder agrees to give an early employee Class A shares (I guess that would be the top tier, wouldn’t it?), even that could be turned into nothing, wouldn’t it? Unless you’re already rich enough to be able to legally stand up for yourself. Even class A shares are given in the form of options? Such that even to make it yours after a certain period (usually after leaving) you actually have to “buy” it and then pay taxes on its fictitious price difference. I have come across ESOPs just once from an American startup (but I worked in my home country) and the whole thing just shocked me. The price used to change as if someone (Board? Banks? Founders?) woke up and just threw a dart on a number chart and that became FMV of that day! Even when there’s no funding round or so!