Pre-IPO Unicorn vs FAANG
Hi Blind. I was lucky enough to receive two pretty good SWE offers: Unicorn (Series >D, close to IPO) Role: L3 SWE, ML stuff Location: SF Bay Area Base: $140k Stock: $250k / 4 yrs (@ most recent valuation) Target Bonus: $10k Sign-on: $10k FAANG Role: L3 SWE, distributed computing stuff Location: SF Bay Area Base: $145k Stock: $130k / 4 yrs Target Bonus: $22k Sign-on: $10k There is also a major catch, I'm kind of an idiot and already signed the Unicorn offer. Do you think the FAANG name brand + guaranteed equity is worth reneging on the Unicorn? Or should I keep my head down and keep my word? Current TC: $150k edit: FAANG -> G
I mean at the current offers it's a no brainer financially.
For sure yeah, I have not negotiated much with FAANG though so I think I can get them to match or exceed.
I'm a firm believer in late stage pre-IPO, the upside is massive and the risk is much lower than an early stage company. Obviously your situation may differ but I joined after our series D, about a year before our IPO, and the stock price has went up 19x since then.
Can you explain the upside the massive part especially in series D? Apart from Snowflake, Coinbase, AirBnB, DoorDash - any recent massive upside for IPO joining at later stage?
@datadog definitely some juicy tendies you got there. I guess I'm just debating IPO popoff vs. established name brand + other typical FAANG benefits. @visa how bout Boyz n the $HOOD. There's probably a good amount of unicorns, but I guess I never hear about the flops
Every unicorn is "close to IPO". What FAANG? My advice is get FAANG on resume early,
I'm in a similar decision with 3 yoe. The general advice for me has been go to FAANG because it will open up the doors to any startup you want to go to and their will be more opportunities down the line. I think im going to renege on startup and go to faang. But its a tough decision for sure...
What faang? Why not just name the company? They have more than enough L3 offers in the pipeline to identify you. If amazon it’s hard nope.
FAANG will always be there, maybe use the offer to try to improve the startup offer before you accept if possible. You have the rest of your life to work for a megacorp.
👀 at your level, that's a rock and a hard place. Don't burn Bridges, but optimize for liquidity. Can you claim new competing offers to reopen discussions with the unicorn?
Would be tough in the short term...other stuff in the pipeline is still pretty early on for me. In general though would reopening discussions with the unicorn set the bridge alight so to speak?