Most startup employees don't even get 80K. My last "exit" as an early employee was barely 20K. I doubt my current startup will be any better. I look at this as a "bonus" and not anything that was expected. The average startup employee will be lucky to get non-zero.

If you want "returns", you're better off getting a stable, higher paying job and investing the excess in public markets. You have diversification and liquidity.

So was the founder. SV level salary, per their words.

And, as I've said elsewhere, startup salaries are rarely on par with the industry average. Working at a startup is typically sold as "you'll be paid less, but if we sell you'll get a payout to make up for it".

It is pretty simple though, either they negotiated some stock based component to their compensation when they started and would be getting payout, or they didn't and they have been fully compensated by their salary.

Are you sure that Baremetrics employees were sold that? If not then what is your issue?