In startups your work and the value you add to the company is more visible, so decisions are more objective.
I've worked in many startups over the years and usually one or all of the following is true:
1. You end up working well over 40 hours, while getting paid a salary 2. Even if you get shares in the company, it's usually diluted to nothing in subsequent rounds and/or by the time you cash out. 3. If the company is acquired (another goal of most startups), you have a high chance of getting laid off.
I will only work in startups as a contractor/consultant now. I normally get paid well while the VC are burning through capital.
I’m at a point in my life where I still need to work. But I don’t need to chase after maximum compensation.
I will only go into startups or any company at this point in a strategic position. I don’t do on call, I need to be close to the decision makers in the org chart - CxO, Director, etc and not a powerless middle manager.
I also need them to understand that I don’t work crazy hours. But we can always negotiate priorities and balance time, cost, and requirements.
All of the big tech and adjacent companies now seem to have return to office mandates. I only work remote, hybrid is not an option. I will hop on a plane for a business trip in a heartbeat if required
Startups offer a chance to play a meaningful part in the creation of something new and useful. Change tends to happen quickly, and if you are a creative person who values autonomy, there's usually a lot of room to decide for yourself what needs to be done and go figure out how to do it. This feels good; I am happy to have this kind of career.
Some of the other commenters have mentioned startups with low stability, low equity, low compensation, and high expected working hours. I wouldn't want to work there.
But I am at a startup with 40 hrs expected / week, good compensation, high impact, and medium stability -- that is a good tradeoff for me.
i hate the 9 to 5.
i like doing things on my own.
i haye unnecessary meetings.
i hate office politics.
i hate slow pace of engineering.
i hate unintuitive designs.
i like to make money while i sleep.