Early startup employee post-mortem

New
sxAV50

New

sxAV50
Oct 25, 2021 6 Comments

TC: $120k (non-tech)
YOE: 8
EDIT: I rose to VP level and large areas of the company's success were on my shoulders, along with 2-3 other people at a similar level.

I worked for a startup for the last 8 years and finally decided to quit (company is closer to 15 years old but didn't make any money until last ~6 years). The goal posts kept moving, we'll be millionaires. This hard work will pay off "in a few years." In the end, I did learn a lot, but I was underpaid, overworked, and left with a lot of trauma from the work environment. I don't know what a "normal" company is like, and I'm looking forward to life on the other side.

If I had to do it over again, I'd leave after 3-4 years. I was chasing options that may or may not be worth much in the end (on paper, I had "millions"). No one knows or respects the name of the company I worked for, and my new role (at FAANG-like company) will help balance my resume. With that said, the company I left has decent metrics, is profitable, etc. From the outside, it probably looks like a good company and sadly I would've tried to endure it a little longer if they would've paid me what I was worth.

PROS:
-Learned a ton about sales, data & analytics, management, recruiting
-Promotions; ended up at decent TC ($120k non-tech; not including stock bc it's paper) but still way underpaid for the demands and YOE (8)
-Survived difficult working conditions. I can probably survive anything now
-Enjoyed some people I worked with

CONS:
-Beyond burned out. "Unlimited PTO" but guilt-tripped by CEO over every day I took off. Averaged ~8 days off per year for entire tenure
-Frequent Slacks on nights and weekends from CEO, including AI/ML/programming-specific podcasts, etc. that the team should learn (only 2 programmers in this Slack group)
-Weekend work every weekend for the last 7 years; small dev team wouldn't automate
-CEO flaunts expertise and knowledge over every employee; few can understand what he's saying most of the time. He is definitely very smart (Elon Musk vibes with less likeability).
-Would cost an enormous amount (over $100k to exercise stock); company is still at least 3 years from IPO if that
-Big goals and minimal support/resources to get it done
-Leadership team, including myself, are "yes people" to CEO because the fallout of defiance is not worth it. Work becomes living hell if he is mad at you. No one has the balls to tell him anything but "yes, sir"; grates at you after a while
-Even as success with the company grew, the demands never changed. With each milestone, things almost got worse.

Advice for others:
-Value yourself. There are plenty of opportunities. The TC out there is very strong right now, even for non-tech.
-Emotional abuse is not ok, and it's not normal, but most people will take the side of the person paying their paychecks or making them money, so it's better to move on. #startup #burnout

Question:
-Is this normal startup stuff? I'm always seeking out people with similar experiences, and that's what drew me to Blind in the first place.

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TOP 6 Comments
  • Macy's
    khVd48

    Go to company page Macy's

    khVd48
    Solidarity . I had similar experience my over the first 6 years of my career and literally needed 5 months off and therapy to overcome the burnout and high stress non-stop. 4 years later, still working to repair relationships / life lost in the process of dedicating self / every min to work and company — and still have lingering trust / issues from the trauma. The good news is, the learnings and experience really do equal like double in corporate America / other companies. Definitely do what’s best for your mental health and prioritize YOU and your growth in your next role.
    Oct 25, 2021 2
    • New
      sxAV50

      New

      sxAV50
      OP
      Choosing work over family is one of my big regrets. Sounds like we’re in the same boat. Thanks for sharing your experience.
      Oct 26, 2021
    • Macy's
      khVd48

      Go to company page Macy's

      khVd48
      Hang in there — Feel free to message me if you’d like to chat!
      Oct 26, 2021
  • New
    demoncybrg

    New

    demoncybrg
    *hugs*

    I hope life only gets better for you OP.
    I admire you for your resilience.
    Blind will take good care of you from here on out.
    Oct 25, 2021 1
    • New
      sxAV50

      New

      sxAV50
      OP
      Thank you <3
      Oct 25, 2021
  • Fastly
    NoUsrnm

    Go to company page Fastly

    NoUsrnm
    Bright side is you probably have a ton of experience, hopefully that can pay off in an accelerated promotional track for you going forward
    Oct 25, 2021 0