"...I feel as though I've invested too much time and energy to bail now." Unless you feel there's a realistic chance of success within the timeframe that your

"...I feel as though I've invested too much time and energy to bail now." Unless you feel there's a realistic chance of success within the timeframe that your personal situation allows, you should bail. Don't let the past trap your future. "I've learned more in the last year than I have at any other point in my life, and I've become a better programmer and designer. I've always said that even if this doesn't work out, I'll have become a better, more capable professional in the end. And I feel that I have." And you no doubt are! I'm not sure where you are, but there are tons of companies in SF/Silicon Valley with 6-50 employees, VC funding, etc that will pay relocation and a nice salary for a versatile full-stack developer with demonstrable skills. There may be a startup in the future, but there's no shame in using the skills you developed at this startup to get a nice job for a year or two. The choice isn't between BigCo and no salary frustrationsville.