How to Survive the Series A Crunch—From Someone Who Didn’t

Pushing forward...further into the abyss, further into a negatively-sloped opportunity cost curve, further into a start-up that'll scar their CVs and render future employment more difficult? You may call that loyalty, but I call it irrationality unless their equity compensation was adjusted for the risk you imposed on them. These people weren't "your" staff; they were employees tied to your company only by a contractual obligation. You didn't own them. They weren't your property. And despite your ego and delusions of grandeur, you weren't doing them favors by continuing their employment. Their tenure shouldn't be celebrated, it should be emphasized as a cautionary tale.