The answer is simple. It doesn't really matter if you're under or over appreciated. What matters is you think you are under valued. That never leads to a satisf

The answer is simple. It doesn't really matter if you're under or over appreciated. What matters is you think you are under valued. That never leads to a satisfying work week and often leads to less than your best output. So it's not good for anyone. You should go out and interview. This is a good policy to do regularly regardless. Particularly if you're at a startup. You never know when it'll fail and it's good to keep your skills sharp and your options open. But more importantly, if you get offers they could serve as a reality check or leverage to renegotiate your terms with your current employers. An employer shows their appreciation and how much they value you through money and benefits. If your'e not sure if those are sufficient, go out there and find out. As far as whether you should start your own company. That's a completely orthogonal question that only you can answer.