Stay at my acquihire? Need advice | Hacker News Reader

Stay at my acquihire? Need advice

12 pointsbanksyornot12 comments

I am young (early 20s) and my company was just acquired. I got a small amount of cash and I have 150k in options, I get 50k of them in 12 months. The company is valued @ 100m and I think there is no chance they don't have some liquidity event in the next few years for at least 2-5x that.

But I really don't like the work I'm doing and I don't care about their mission. I kind of know what I want to do next but it is going to take a bit of time for me to flush out, but in the mean time I just really don't like being here - but I don't want to walk away from hard earned money, especially if it could be worth < million in the next 12 months. I don't want to make a financially idiotic decision and walk away from a bunch of money.

idk what to do..need some feedback. I'm not passionate so it is really hard for me to get into the work..

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Mentally commit to staying a year and re-evaluate. That is long enough to see what happens with your (now vested?) options and the companies prospects, and you may feel very different about the work and job in that time.

Life is too short to spend all of it doing something you don't like; but frankly it's also too long to bail immediately every time we don't love the work you are doing or aren't passionate about a companies mission.

It's hard to do work you don't feel in anyway connected to. I'd try a technique called negative visualization. Imagine if you don't take the money and leave. What will your life look like in the next year, 5 years.

What is the worst possible scenario? Will you regret it for the rest of your life or will you be happy you made the decision. That money could potentially free you to pursue more meaningful work.

Look, everyone works a job they dislike at some point in their life. You won't always feel passionate about the things you're doing, but you need to weigh how much you may regret it otherwise. This sounds like a sure bet for 2x-5x more in straight cash within your 20's. People don't always get that.

Maybe, try to change something different in your routine of life. Shift the focus from work for 12 months to something else, like dating, a hobby, a sport.

If you seriously hate it, I mean really hate like it boils your blood to get up in the morning and think about going to work then leave. Absolutely, make your peace of mind and health the most important thing. However, this may be an opportunity for you to shift focus and coast for a bit.

I am about twice your age so my situation is a little different that yours. I'd be inclined to stick it out, because for $1M, I'd be able to retire. Granted it would be a modest retirement, but I could retire. Then I'd have time to work on what ever I wanted.

Think about what you could do to improve your situation? Can you move to a different project? If it is something else bothering you a frank conversation with your manager may be helpful.

I just did this myself today. I work for an early stage start-up and was ready to say fuck it and quit. I sat down with one of the founders and we discussed my grievances. I feel a lot better now, and I think it will be helpful in the long run.

Also maybe you can do something outside of work to make things more meaningful. Take up a new hobby, or may a new side project.

Find a new challenge inside the org. I've found it's easier to stay engaged in a project/company I'm not that passionate about if I can use it as a lab for something I am.

Maybe start with challenges you faced at your startup - what would you like to get more insight into? If you build another startup and plan to scale, what can you learn from studying the success/failures of the managers around you? From how the incentives executives design effect (or fail to effect) them?

Learning adventures are fun, wherever you have them!

>> I think there is no chance they don't have some liquidity event in the next few years for at least 2-5x that

Something to consider, aside from the boredom/motivation is that imho the future of this new company is less certain than you're thinking. Companies are regularly disrupted, even if they seem strong now.

Could you start whatever is next now, and push the decision down the road until it's clearer? Meaning, you are excited about what you're moving towards?

Tactical question: Do you need to buy your options if/when you leave?

> kind of know what I want to do next but it is going to take a bit of time for me to flush out...

Once you know where you want to end-up; it's easy to deconstruct backwards.

Articulate that journey; the milestones, check-points, experiences, people, moments to keep moving forward.

Good take on Purpose & Momentum by Bosco Anthony > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FV5AUAle2Zs

Your mental and physical health is more important than the money you would leave on the table imo.

With that being said, like many comments here, I'd use cost-benefit analysis to reevaluate if you should stay or not.

Sometimes progress isn't a straight line pointing up north, so there are more factors where joining a new and different team gives you much more energy and boost to be at a better spot in your career than you would otherwise for staying with your current team.

Outside of the tech bubble, most people on this planet would be lucky to make even $100K / yr. You’d make what they’d make in 10 years, in one year. Look at you now. Look at you now - oh - you’re getting paper.

You would be able to not work for 10 years and live fairly decently for those 10 years, if you wanted to.

I’d easily trade 1 year for 10.

"but in the mean time I just really don't like being here"

That's the key takeaway here, IMHO. If you aren't in a situation where you absolutely need the money, there's nothing wrong with prioritizing your own happiness and wellbeing. People regularly take pay cuts and give up options for a better quality of life.

Note that if you've got options, in 12 months you'll have to pay money to get your stocks. When considering to stay, think also if you'll be willing to invest your money to purchase the stocks in the next 12 months (it might be the case you won't or couldn't buy.)

Do you want to sell the next 12 months of your life for 1Mil? If yes stay, if not, just go...

I guess it just comes down to: do you care about the world or not?

The world is pretty fucked up and needs smart people like yourself fixing it.

If ~250K is more important to you than humanity, stay.

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