Decision Node: NewCo or BigCo??

I recently sold my startup after slaving for close to a decade. It wasn't a home run nor was it a brand name buyer, but I'm not complaining. Was certainly a win and put $$ in my pocket and has given me lots of time to think on what I want to do. Been thinking about my next move, and I'd like to get a better sense of my worth as an employee at a startup or existing big company. I had one angel investor and didn't have much a relationship with any VCs.

My hunch is it takes a special kind of hiring manager to understand how a founder can be fully maximized as an employee and some exec search firms are better at this than others. Who out there has experience, what worked, was it too depressing so you turned back to Silicon Valley, etc...? Have you tried meeting with VCs to pitch yourself as an EIR/hired gun, etc...? Looking at job postings doesn't make any sense.