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Windsurf employee #2: I was given a payout of only 1% what my shares where worth

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Re: Windsurf employee #2: I was given a payout of only 1% what my shares where worth

#521

Post by waste_monk »

cpursley wrote: post #408
chasebank wrote: post #281

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm in Santa Barbara, CA. Good friend of mine just bought a shithole 3-2 1300sqft for $2.2m. $3M doesn't go very far considering 30 years ago it was retirement status almost anywhere.

I don’t get it, at this point you move to Baja or Portugal (for similar climate) and live like a king without ever having to work again (unless you want to). Or a cheaper east coast state if you wanna stay in the US on the coast and have access to to all the same fast food and Walmarts.

How does medical care factor in to your plans? Do those places have equivalent access to care if you stay in or around the main cities?

Even something like living in the countryside domestically would worry me (that is, longer times between calling for help and it arriving, then time to be transported to a medical centre or hospital, and then probably getting transported to the city anyway for access to advanced medical care).

Re: Windsurf employee #2: I was given a payout of only 1% what my shares where worth

#522

Post by rgavuliak »

CalChris wrote: post #160
gsibble wrote: post #93

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I tell every engineer always to maximize their cash comp and every founder and investor always says "No, that's such a bad idea! Get more equity!" Yeah, because that is in your interests, not the engineer's.

There is another variable. Find better companies to work for. If you don't think this is a unicorn, don't work for them. If this is another stablecoin startup leveraging quantum AI then you deserve what you get, cash comp or no.

If anyone knew how to spot unicorns, the industry would be very different.

Re: Windsurf employee #2: I was given a payout of only 1% what my shares where worth

#523

Post by cjalmeida »

waste_monk wrote: post #521
cpursley wrote: post #408

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don’t get it, at this point you move to Baja or Portugal (for similar climate) and live like a king without ever having to work again (unless you want to). Or a cheaper east coast state if you wanna stay in the US on the coast and have access to to all the same fast food and Walmarts.

How does medical care factor in to your plans? Do those places have equivalent access to care if you stay in or around the main cities? Even something like living in the countryside domestically would worry me (that is, longer times between calling for help and it arriving, then time to be transported to a medical centre or hospital, and then probably getting transported to the city anyway for access to advanced medi…

You know life expectancy in Portugal is higher than in California, right?

Re: Windsurf employee #2: I was given a payout of only 1% what my shares where worth

#524

Post by kotaKat »

At what point do these gross overpaid bubbles pop? None of these people are worth this kind of money and it’s time we re-balance tech salaries, tbh. Be thankful you got your million dollars and move the fuck on, ‘cause some of us will never get that kind of money.

Re: Windsurf employee #2: I was given a payout of only 1% what my shares where worth

#525

Post by DonsDiscountGas »

siliconc0w wrote: post #175

These stories really kill the golden goose because it means a lot of talent just won't work at a startup. YC isn't particularly great here either, they are pro founder but not pro startup employee. Most YC companies offer pretty paltry equity to even the first few hires - and that is even assuming you aren't going to get screwed down the line.

There's a lot to be said for working at a startup, just be sure to value the equity portion at what it's worth (nothing) and decide accordingly.

Re: Windsurf employee #2: I was given a payout of only 1% what my shares where worth

#526

Post by DonsDiscountGas »

_jab wrote: post #260

The details here remain unclear to me, and even this tweet is somewhat vague. > I was given an offer that would explode same day. I had to forfeit all of my vested shares earned over my 3.5+ years at Windsurf. I was ultimately given a payout of only 1% of what my shares would have been worth at the time of the deal. Was forfeiting the vested shares conditional on accepting the offer, or did he have no choice over the…

I assumed it was #1, and his shares were acquired as part of the cognition deal

Re: Windsurf employee #2: I was given a payout of only 1% what my shares where worth

#527

Post by kortilla »

all2 wrote: post #497
kortilla wrote: post #485

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So? My point is that’s a miserable life to put up with when you can afford a $3 million dollar home. 8% of your waking life going to and from work without getting paid for it is dumb

I honestly don't have a lot of options. I've got bills to pay.

That’s my point. A commute like that is not a sign of luxury

Re: Windsurf employee #2: I was given a payout of only 1% what my shares where worth

#528

Post by stickfigure »

crazygringo wrote: post #30
shawabawa3 wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You have to know some of the background Google poached windsurf employees and licensed their tech, paying out billions to upper management but apparently offering a fraction of the value of shares This employee chose to stick with windsurf instead of moving to Google Windsurf was then acquired by cognition for an unspecified but probably quite low amount So this employee is now at cognition

Thank you, that helps! But so did he keep the shares or take the payout? Is the 1% payout an accurate reflection of Windsurf's value after having lost so many valuable employees? And why didn't he take the Google job? Was the 1% contingent on taking the Google job? But how could it be, since Google doesn't own Windsurf/Cognition? But if it did somehow, did it have a higher paycheck to compensate? Or was it contingent…

> I won’t go into detail for legal reasons

Probably indicates that there is a non-disparagement agreement as part of this deal. And usually they include a clause which prevents them from publicly acknowledging the existence of the non-disparagement agreement. So we have to read between the lines regarding how he actually feels.

Re: Windsurf employee #2: I was given a payout of only 1% what my shares where worth

#529

Post by gedy »

coffeebeqn wrote: post #410
johann8384 wrote: post #285

Earlier quoted context omitted.

With $3MM you could just stop working and live in many other nice enough places without ever having to work again.

Buying a $3M house does not mean they have $3M cash

They haven't really "bought" it then though no?

Re: Windsurf employee #2: I was given a payout of only 1% what my shares where worth

#530

Post by [deleted] »

pembrook wrote: post #422
saagarjha wrote: post #384

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do you think founders deserve 100x more money because six weeks ago they sat in a few meetings with Y Combinator that went well?

If it’s so easy to do that instead (and if you think that’s how startups work), why the hell would you join as an early employee instead of starting your own company? Hint: it’s not as easy as you think.

[deleted]
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