Leaving Stripe

#1

Post by geetarista » Wed, May 06, 2015, 5:12 PM UTC

Leaving Stripe
blog.gregbrockman.com

Re: Leaving Stripe

#2

Post by brandonb » Wed, May 06, 2015, 5:45 PM UTC

Congrats to Greg on everything he's accomplished! Stripe has always chosen to think different about culture and organization, and as a result have built one of the most interesting companies around. Greg is a huge part of what makes that work.

Re: Leaving Stripe

#3

Post by foobarqux » Wed, May 06, 2015, 5:53 PM UTC

What does it say about the question "Why do you want to work on this company for the next 10 years of your life?" when it turns out even the founders of the most successful startups in the world don't want to?

Re: Leaving Stripe

#4

Post by saikat » Wed, May 06, 2015, 5:56 PM UTC

foobarqux wrote: post #3

What does it say about the question "Why do you want to work on this company for the next 10 years of your life?" when it turns out even the founders of the most successful startups in the world don't want to?

Greg's not a founder of Stripe. And who asks that question?

Re: Leaving Stripe

#5

Post by sergiotapia » Wed, May 06, 2015, 5:57 PM UTC

foobarqux wrote: post #3

What does it say about the question "Why do you want to work on this company for the next 10 years of your life?" when it turns out even the founders of the most successful startups in the world don't want to?

There are ambitious people and people who enjoy steady income.

I feel like the ambitious people (the kind that start these sort of companies) do not feel comfortable working on the same thing for more than a couple of years. They get that itch, understandably.

Re: Leaving Stripe

#6

Post by yinyinwu » Wed, May 06, 2015, 6:02 PM UTC

Good luck with your next steps!

Re: Leaving Stripe

#7

Post by codegeek » Wed, May 06, 2015, 6:07 PM UTC

foobarqux wrote: post #3

What does it say about the question "Why do you want to work on this company for the next 10 years of your life?" when it turns out even the founders of the most successful startups in the world don't want to?

As a founder, that question has merits. As a potential employee, if someone asks me that question, my answer frankly is "I don't know. It is hard to predict the future. I can tell you that whatever time I am with the company, you will see 100% commitment but 10 years is too far out". I have actually used this in a real interview. It is ridiculous to even ask this question to anyone who is worth the money.

Re: Leaving Stripe

#8

Post by foobarqux » Wed, May 06, 2015, 6:09 PM UTC

saikat wrote: post #4

foobarqux wrote: post #3

What does it say about the question "Why do you want to work on this company for the next 10 years of your life?" when it turns out even the founders of the most successful startups in the world don't want to?

Greg's not a founder of Stripe. And who asks that question?

YC for one.

Re: Leaving Stripe

#9

Post by adrianpike » Wed, May 06, 2015, 6:10 PM UTC

saikat wrote: post #4

foobarqux wrote: post #3

What does it say about the question "Why do you want to work on this company for the next 10 years of your life?" when it turns out even the founders of the most successful startups in the world don't want to?

Greg's not a founder of Stripe. And who asks that question?

Many interviewers have asked me that question.

I generally reply openly about my ten-year plan, I promise that it's going to change, and I restate how large a challenge it is to maintain excitement and interest at their company for the next ten years of my life.

Re: Leaving Stripe

#10

Post by shubhamjain » Wed, May 06, 2015, 6:18 PM UTC

The general advice is - "Don't force it! It won't get you anywhere." However, I feel, smart ambitious people, can't avoid the anxiety to do their own thing. Leaving a high-paying job on a vital position might not make a lot of sense but I believe, when you are surrounded by people making multi-million dollar enterprises with almost-similar skill-set (maybe, with a better business sense), you can't avoid that feel of not finding a single reason to not to replicate the same level of success.