Employees also usually get bonuses, and stock options. Your point is possibly true for companies as big as FAANG ones, but for a startup invested in by HN, it's highly unlikely the founders are getting any real bonuses. They might get some money about in series B or C, but that's already less than 99.9% of startups that get to that stage probably.
You are simplying the situation by thinking about everyone as successful unicorns. Most companies and founders are not.
That's the risk. They destroy the bonuses and benefits of their workers to fuel their own rat race.