Hacker News Reader

Comment by TallGuyShort | Hacker News Reader

And: View stock options as strictly a bonus. I've been offered a low salary in exchange for lots of equity before. I enjoy having some stake in the long-term success in the company, but it depends on so many factors beyond the hard work of the employees, that you can't afford to sacrifice your day-to-day finances on a far-distant potential pay-off.

View on HN

I had a one-on-one once where a manager reassured me that although my vesting schedule was almost up, it would be replenished soon with new options. I thanked him for his concern but told him I viewed them as "monopoly money" (exact words), so I could take or leave them.

There was eventually an acquisition, and I made a nice sum, but I never planned on them being worth anything. It was my first startup; how are so many convinced that these things are some sort of golden ticket? Where does that narrative come from?

I think the narrative comes from the cases where it's true - i.e. the really successful acquisitions and IPOs.

I think the issue is that overly optimistic companies (and probably some unscrupulous ones) estimate the likelihood of such an outcome to be greater than it is. But that doesn't mean that's never true (like it sounds like you found out).

Don't forget as a startup noob you also don't have much experience, so when your manager/CEO says you'll get a big payoff eventually, you probably believe them.

There's also an aspect of optimism to it, I think, not just naivete. I have enjoyed the startups that I've worked at, but I feel very out-of-place when I'm around many serial entrepreneurs because they seem to latch on to an idea and think it has extreme potential far more easily than I do. If you're optimistic and actually ENJOY being motivated by potential more than a paycheck, you'd probably trade salary for it. Just not who I am, nor a bet I think is sensible. But each to his own.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com