Really Bad Startup Culture
We developers all know Startups are hard, but do Business and Finance guys understand just how hard it is to create a ground breaking and sustainable technology? I don't think many do
I'm pouring countless hours of my time into trying to develop a concrete product and the thanks I get is blame for any and everything that can and will go wrong (after all you're developing a NEW technology that's NEVER been done before, all with NO HELP).
If the job description read "We give generous 3% equity and fair pay, however, anything that can and will go wrong will be blamed on you personally" I would not have taken it.
I would much rather receive more equity, less pay and be treated like a valued contributor, and not a scrape-goat.
I'm not sure how others Startups are run, but when Startups are run by Business and Finance guys it seems like Beurocracy starts off in full-swing right from the gate
Here's how you (or I) know the Startup culture is not likely to be good: 1) The startup hired a previous developer but "it just didn't work out" 2) The startup hired the first graphic designer (who after only several months) is likely to be leaving shortly 3) The startup has a hard time attracting developers 4) The startup has more business/finance people than any other type of personel 5) The startup is more focused on minutia like absolute placement of elements and font sizes/styles, rather than perfecting hardcore functionality 6) The person "in charge" doesn't accept suggestions of others and believes his/her ideas are always right 7) The person in charge likes Job titles and creating Org charts (can you say ego-maniac?)