Re:Avoiding Zombie Startups
by vidarh on Tuesday October 02, 2018 @11:43AM
(#18122702)
VC is a fools game if you bet on the company going big to the extent that you're willing to work for nothing time after time. Take more risk when you get large chunks of equity, but even then expect a decent salary relatively quickly.
When you go into it demanding what you're worth and knowing the risks, on the other hand, it's not a fools game. It's a calculated high risk, high reward ride.
I've worked in many VC funded startups, and I've made money on all of them. Mostly not much above a normal job, but I've only ever put in "free" work or underpaid work for short periods, and then compensated with higher income later.
It's about not getting taken in by the sales pitch to the extent that you stop negotiating, and about not overestimating the value of the equity on the table. I typically won't take an offer that I wouldn't have taken in a non-startup without the equity.
When you go into it demanding what you're worth and knowing the risks, on the other hand, it's not a fools game. It's a calculated high risk, high reward ride.
I've worked in many VC funded startups, and I've made money on all of them. Mostly not much above a normal job, but I've only ever put in "free" work or underpaid work for short periods, and then compensated with higher income later.
It's about not getting taken in by the sales pitch to the extent that you stop negotiating, and about not overestimating the value of the equity on the table. I typically won't take an offer that I wouldn't have taken in a non-startup without the equity.