Re:Buffer Layoffs
by nilkn on Thursday June 16, 2016 @05:26PM
(#11919010)
The $155k salary might be due to the transparency, but could it also be due to a simple inability to pay developers $300k+? That's well over double the CEO's salary. I think it's clear they simply don't have the revenue and cash reserves to pay developers that kind of money. I suspect you'll find this to be true at a lot of smaller startups that rely on actually making money instead of fundraising.
[ Parent
| on HN ]
Also, Buffer is entirely remote. I bet many people are willing to take a big pay cut if they don't have to commute to an office building every day (and of course, other people like office life -- but remote positions are rare, so it's normal that they're more "expensive" for employees who really want them).
Also, if you're working remotely from a more affordable location you may not need as much salary in order to live a very comfortable life.
I think our expectations are skewed by the crippling cost of living in SF, New York, London, etc.
Re:Buffer Layoffs
by RussianCow on Friday June 17, 2016 @11:23AM
(#11923165)
Buffer actually adjusts the salary based on location, so this is (at least partially) taken into account.
The salary is peanuts compared to what that CEO gets compensated.
Re:Buffer Layoffs
by jsprogrammer on Thursday June 16, 2016 @06:13PM
(#11919288)
The latest model I have seen showed founders making about one-third of top-level employees.
In take-home income right? They still have sizeable ownership of the company and vesting.
Re:Buffer Layoffs
by jsprogrammer on Thursday June 16, 2016 @07:21PM
(#11919696)
Yes, they are willing to forego significant salary because they will control most of the profits.
You mean "hypothetical profits". There's a distinct possibility of there being no profits at all.
High risk, high reward.
Profits? You must be joking.
They recently took around $3m off the table if I recall correctly.