If the comp, stocks, big $ is your primary motivation, look somewhere else.
We go to the startup for a thrill. For doing something you strongly believe. For creating something that didn't exist before. If you think you can do it in a big org, too, you are right, now go and try, get a job at Cisco or AT&T. Innovating there is like driving Kia Rio vs Porsche: it's a car, too. It goes thought the motion. But the thrill is not there.
Many people are happy in big companies. They won't be happy at startups. They're no worse because of this. Different stokes for different folks. There is no objective pro's and con's for startup vs big corp. There are properties, that match personal traits. The key is to know yourself and what are yours. Trouble is, we don't always know what we want, worse yet it changes over time with experience. And once we finally learn it, it's time to retire. Life is fun.
Now, you don't want to be taken advantage, right, so all written here about transparency, cap table, etc are the right things. Do check. Don't take below-market salary for the mirages of future. If you don't do these basics - you failed intelligence test and shouldn't be hired.
We go to the startup for a thrill. For doing something you strongly believe. For creating something that didn't exist before. If you think you can do it in a big org, too, you are right, now go and try, get a job at Cisco or AT&T. Innovating there is like driving Kia Rio vs Porsche: it's a car, too. It goes thought the motion. But the thrill is not there.
Many people are happy in big companies. They won't be happy at startups. They're no worse because of this. Different stokes for different folks. There is no objective pro's and con's for startup vs big corp. There are properties, that match personal traits. The key is to know yourself and what are yours. Trouble is, we don't always know what we want, worse yet it changes over time with experience. And once we finally learn it, it's time to retire. Life is fun.
Now, you don't want to be taken advantage, right, so all written here about transparency, cap table, etc are the right things. Do check. Don't take below-market salary for the mirages of future. If you don't do these basics - you failed intelligence test and shouldn't be hired.