If possible, how about discussing your situation with one of the founders? They might have a secret project they want to try out, and are also a bit thrown off

If possible, how about discussing your situation with one of the founders? They might have a secret project they want to try out, and are also a bit thrown off by the new atmosphere. Otherwise figure out for sure exactly how big the carrot is they are dangling. Everyone has a price. The beauty of stock options (from an employer perspective) is that the employees never really know what they are or could be worth. Additionally, if they got funding the VC's probably have all sorts of clauses where they get their money back + dividends + their preferred stock in a buyout, further diluting you. Chances are the strike price for purchasing your options has gone up in the last 4 years. Also, the investors might want to bail and get their money out, selling the company at a lower price than if they had waited. Or a competitor could come along and wipe out your growth, killing the potential value of the company. Or nothing could happen. The company could make nice profit and just exist, seemingly forever, never selling. You'll wake up one day 5 years from now, no further to the fat bank account than you are now, and wonder what happened. Many things can happen that are outside of your control to these stock options that are keeping you there. The only thing you really have control over is whether to stay or not.