Only consider compensation you control.
If you don’t control equity, you cannot control the outcome, value, or liquidity of it.
Ask HN: Conflicted about founding engineer role
11–20 of 21 posts
Re: Ask HN: Conflicted about founding engineer role
#12> I’m currently at 2.5 YOE at big tech making 250k
250k is good money. I'd stay, accrue experience and contacts, bank some money. The startup probably won't work out anyway - they usually don't. And even if it does, 3% equity is too low for the financial and personal sacrifices you'd have to make.
tldr: seems like the wrong time
Re: Ask HN: Conflicted about founding engineer role
#13Yes, founding engineer math doesn’t work. Its a way to buy you cheaper than market can offer for comparable work/risks.
Re: Ask HN: Conflicted about founding engineer role
#14Unless you don’t have any other options, don’t do it. Your future self will thank you. I wasted so much time being a founding engineer, it’s the worst tradeoff. Don’t do it. Don’t do it.
Re: Ask HN: Conflicted about founding engineer role
#15I'm a founder, i have 2 founding engineers on the team. so first of all, 3% is a bit low from what you describe.
Second, keep in mind that most startups fail, so beside the financial upside that might never materialize, you should do it for the adventure itself.
Building a startup is an amazing experience, you might start building something and end up building something completely different, you'll meet tons of inspiring people and you'll put yourself outside of your comfort zone.
The question you need to ask yourself is, do you want deep inside leave this adventure or you prefer a comfortable salary and job security. Because it will be anything but that.
Re: Ask HN: Conflicted about founding engineer role
#16[dead]
Re: Ask HN: Conflicted about founding engineer role
#17[deleted]
Re: Ask HN: Conflicted about founding engineer role
#18If you don't risk your well being joining the saas company (imagine being fired after two years ..?), ask for at least 30 % equity, if they ask for a vesting schedule ,ask to keep the same salary 250 K untill equity vested.
Re: Ask HN: Conflicted about founding engineer role
#19how much you value the intangible elements of it?
Re: Ask HN: Conflicted about founding engineer role
#20The cofounders will not put your priorities first. Their only goal is to make money for themselves. They will axe you if they feel like it.
They are not hiring a founding engineer because they want to do something nice. They've probably realised this path is cheaper than hiring an external software development company.
Don't think for a second that you will be an equal in this relationship. You will be at their beck and call. You will be forced to write bad code to get early sales.
You'll get paid less to do more. I would stay where you are.