jdileo

Appreciate the counsel my friend!

Your point is understood. I submitted to HN because the viewpoints of engineers/founders/builders (aka "my people) was desired.

First, congratulations on being proactive in pursuit of scaling your career trajectory. I'm often amazed that an ecosystem that reveres best-practice and first principals has fostered belief that coaching is valuable only to those who inhabit c-suites or....wait for it....the latest Stanford startup backed by the illuminati of SV.

Securing a coach is both possible and critically important to career trajectory. Further, the FANG SVP that has climbed ladder without benefit of guidance and network such associations yield is rare indeed.

If desired I can make introduction to a couple of people that are well respected, lmk.

I chose to read the prior comments posted, wish I had not done so. The answer to your question has zero to do with ethics, morals, etc. We live quite literally within a surveillance state that becomes more sophisticated and invasive by the day. FANG profit models, undisclosed deals between govt/SV and the omnipresence of video cameras have effectually made the 4th Amendment mute.

You have 3 choices and each of them is absolutely fine and at your discretion: 1. Treat your work as a "bug bounty" and contact each manufacturer for compensation. 2. Choose educate ecosystem via github post. 3. Keep quiet and use for exact purpose you intended.

Most important thing you've said is that "....chance that company will be purchased, but those talks have been going on for several months...."

**Never, ever, ever become more committed to a startup than the founders are. A startup warrants devotion and continued work only when leadership is demonstrably committed to victory.

Pls immediately begin pursuit of finding a position that thrills you!

I've read each of the 26 comments posted thus far. Respectfully, each of them misses the mark by a wide margin.

THIS: Assuming that you're healthy and remain mentally/physically vigorous, answer the below questions authentically:

1. Are you sick and tired of current daily routine and lack of intellectual stimulation? (You're obviously restless, hence posing this question).

2. Have you curated a list of startup ideas that are of interest and within scope of skill-set?

3. Has a restful night of slumber devolved into hours upon hours of visualizing the ONE product that will inspire the drive, discipline and creativity required to build and introducee it to the world?

Go kill it!!

You're objecting to receiving a personalized email from a startup team that is griding to bring a product to market? This email is well written and polite, including praise for competitor.

And you'd like to shame them. Shame on you!

True thanks for the time and care needed to script above. All points clear and logical.

The vast majority of engineers will always view sales as a necessary evil, and thus the percentage whom achieve even base level competency is staggeringly low. In contrast, elite sales people are both driven and financially rewarded to master the nuances and myriad client incentives you outline above. Further, they are high IQ and will work tirelessly from outset to acquire deep knowledge of all required to serve the engineering team, close customers and contribute to P&L.

With rare exceptions a startup is ill-advised to not hire a sales lead from very early days. Involving this high achiever intimately with totality of inaugural customer acquisition is best practice, not doing so is akin to asking an offensive lineman to run a crossing route in the red zone.

Are you referencing the myriad of scam projects/tokens or ecosystem as a whole, including blockchain?

Design and implementation of outbound prospecting campaigns for SMB's. Side note Marco---Italy is amazing, what are you working on?

Agreed on all, thx for the note!