We detached this subthread from https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=11029639 and marked it off-topic.
But I think that just means there is more responsibility on the part of the founder to be transparent and forthright with his employees, particularly those who have equity. It is one thing to sell in a backroom. It is another to sell with the full knowledge and support of the company with the goal of getting as fair an outcome for all parties (including the employees that helped get them there). Believe it or not, there have been plenty of instances where the latter has happened. It isn't always like the founder makes bank and no employees get anything.
You must be new here. Some useful info:
In 1996, Graham and Robert Morris founded Viaweb, the first application service provider (ASP). Viaweb's software, originally written mostly in Common Lisp, allowed users to make their own Internet stores. In the summer of 1998 Viaweb was sold to Yahoo! for 455,000 shares of Yahoo! stock, valued at $49.6 million.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Graham_%28computer_progra...
If you don't, you have just said "but this time it's different."
It's sad that most founders don't care or don't understand that sometimes they managed to hire people that actually care about the business, and could have helped make it better.
When I see a founder sell his business, all I ever think is (as I'm sure most do), what a selfish asshole.