Serious career question

[rawraw]

As long as your current wage is market rate, I’d go for it. It makes it a little harder to analyze if you are above the wage you could re-enter the work force at. But still, easy enough to do the NPV under various situations. And 1% does seem quite low.

And I am the only one confused how some people in finance use M for million and others for 000. I think it’s been used both ways in this thread, but not entirely sure.

[geo]

@former_trader

If you don’t take it, you will regret it years from now. You can always go back to your job. This opportunity might not comeback. If you trust the person in charge, go for it. Don’t be afraid to get out of your comfort zone and risk failure. Even if it doesn’t work, you will be a more marketable employee after this experience rather than staying put. You still have decades to your career, 3 years is nothing if you look at the big picture.

Spoken like a true single man. When you have kids, life is different. Hell if I was single I’d be OK sleeping in my car for survival to take some long shot opportunity. That’s obviously no longer an option for me.

[comp_sci_kid]

@geo

@former_trader

If you don’t take it, you will regret it years from now. You can always go back to your job. This opportunity might not comeback. If you trust the person in charge, go for it. Don’t be afraid to get out of your comfort zone and risk failure. Even if it doesn’t work, you will be a more marketable employee after this experience rather than staying put. You still have decades to your career, 3 years is nothing if you look at the big picture.

Spoken like a true single man. When you have kids, life is different. Hell if I was single I’d be OK sleeping in my car for survival to take some long shot opportunity. That’s obviously no longer an option for me.

If i would be single, that would not be even a question

[itera]

@geo

@former_trader

If you don’t take it, you will regret it years from now. You can always go back to your job. This opportunity might not comeback. If you trust the person in charge, go for it. Don’t be afraid to get out of your comfort zone and risk failure. Even if it doesn’t work, you will be a more marketable employee after this experience rather than staying put. You still have decades to your career, 3 years is nothing if you look at the big picture.

Spoken like a true single man. When you have kids, life is different. Hell if I was single I’d be OK sleeping in my car for survival to take some long shot opportunity. That’s obviously no longer an option for me.

and this is exactly why I don’t want to be tied down. being fearless and bold, taking big risks sounds great to me.

[robertucla]

What exactly are you bringing to the table? 1.5% sounds like the owner thinks that’s all you’re worth.

[geo]

@itera

and this is exactly why I don’t want to be tied down. being fearless and bold, taking big risks sounds great to me.

Depends. Find a professional woman that understands risk taking and you’re golden. Once my wife is done the maternity stage of things (very soon), I have flexibility to swing for the fences while having no fear of starvation. There are advantages and disadvantages to this arrangement, of course.

[sachin_patel]

I have said to myself “Say no to startups unless its my own” and so far I am happy about it.

[geo]

^ Is that due to sticking to your guns or not being good enough to get called up by top quality start ups? I don’t see why, if the business was right, why working in a wage slave job would be preferable to being #2 or #3. Not sure your position is rationally sound.

[former_trader]

The OP did not mention anything about starvation.

There will be a sacrifice period for sure and a lower standard of living, but they won’t be living in poverty.

[comp_sci_kid]

@robertucla

What exactly are you bringing to the table? 1.5% sounds like the owner thinks that’s all you’re worth.

1.5 is actually a top of the range for VP of Engineering hire

[comp_sci_kid]

@geo

^ Is that due to sticking to your guns or not being good enough to get called up by top quality start ups? I don’t see why, if the business was right, why working in a wage slave job would be preferable to being #2 or #3. Not sure your position is rationally sound.

In start-up you will work even longer hours for 6m-1y or until product is viable / gets traction. This should never be underestimated.

For me, it would mean sacrificing almost all my free time, as I also have kids to take care of and school to attend

[comp_sci_kid]

@comp\_sci\_kid

@geo

^ Is that due to sticking to your guns or not being good enough to get called up by top quality start ups? I don’t see why, if the business was right, why working in a wage slave job would be preferable to being #2 or #3. Not sure your position is rationally sound.

In start-up you will work even longer hours for 6m-1y or until product is viable / gets traction. This should never be underestimated.

For me, it would mean sacrificing almost all my free time, as I also have kids to take care of and school to attend

Saito: Don’t you want to take a leap of faith? Or become an old man, filled with regret, waiting to die alone! [IMDB]

[comp_sci_kid]

So, by show of hands, who would take the opportunity?

[geo]

I’d do it. But I have a second income to pay the bills.

[mygos]

@ csk

From the discussion above the optimum solution is before you, it is now for you to decide, with or without raise of hands. All the aspects suggesting you go for it:

Start-up area is very lucrative so possibility of 1b+ exit is not out of the question, although it is ofcourse very very small.

A good leader can accomplish just about anything. If you have full faith in the guy/gal that’s running this start-up…… then I’d be willing to take a pretty big chance.

Person in charge is very well respected and very well connected. He is a veteran in start-up space.

I can survive a year or two at lower salary

Also let’s assume that startup is an innovative approach to data science and not PC manufacturing.

I was in situation, With kid, mortgage and no job. Yes it is stressful, but i am willing to risk it.

But what stops you from outright acceptance:

I am not sure that with 1.5% I can make it big. I already turned down one 1.5% #2 offer before…

In start-up you will work even longer hours for 6m-1y or until product is viable / gets traction…. it would mean sacrificing almost all my free time, as I also have kids to take care of and school to attend

The first 6 positive strengths do seem to override the 2 weaknesses you cited. So, I think why you must accept it are the 3 opportunities you are getting:

Simple - I want to make it big, and as a software developer, that is the only way i can make it big.

1.5 is actually a top of the range for VP of Engineering hire

If you don’t take it, you will regret it years from now.

But with a caveat,:

On the face of it, however, I agree that 1.5% is low…. 1.5% seems a bit low for employee number 2…… you need to participate in the upside reward if things go well.

So, to take care of the threat perception you have, you must:

Ask for 9% and negotiate away……I’d aim for 4-6%. You’re taking the risk.

Hope, you will have the courage to take the risk and take a quantum jump of faith and determination for a possible lucrative career. Give yourself just 2 years to fathom the depth and gauge any signs of negative outcome. If not sure, you can always revert to what you may be doing with less loss than your estimate of “i will have to start on the spot where i am right now in large corporation, minus 3 or so sacrificied years, minus 300k or so in revenue”. It is worth the risk. Best of luck.

[comp_sci_kid]

mygos, thanks, great breakdown… but how do you know i can revert back so seamlessly. Do you realize that salaries are incredibly sticky?

[mygos]

^If we can be sure of everything then where is the risk? Risk is another name of uncertainities that is why we need a certain amount of self-confidence and courage to take risk and succeed (and that is precisely why every one does not succeed in everything!).