Buckle up, Buttercup!

If you're considering a job at a start-up, even if they throw a lovely salary and equity at you along with the promise of building your own empire, give yourself a smack in the head to get rid of that swirling hypnotic trance then take a step back for just a moment.

What I know:

1. Most start-ups blow through funding like a starving teenager at a Golden Corral buffet.

2. It always takes MUCH longer to bring the product to market than ANYONE ever envisions.

3. The company NEVER has enough resources to go around.

4. The investors really DON’T understand the technology. The prior success that resulted in their having enough money to invest in another company DOES NOT make them an expert in this new technology. Actually, it makes them dangerous because they believe 1) their initial success was 100% due to skill (timing and good luck had NOTHING to do with it), and 2) replicating past success in a new company is practically guaranteed. 
Neither could be further from the truth.

5. The founder/inventor ain’t NEVER lettin’ go of the baby. Even if you’re THE best at what you do, he will never give you the latitude to make decisions because he “knows better” and is never wrong.


Ways to reduce your risk:

1. During the interview process, ask to see a working demo of the product, and ask to talk with employees and current customers. 

2. Look on LinkedIn to see how many FORMER employees there are. If you see a lot of churn, just know there is a reason for that.

3. In the offer stage, negotiate a severance agreement that gives you the chance to trigger an exit, should the ownership equation change. 

4. Don’t go into debt to take the job.  

5. If it sounds too good to be true…it probably is. 


To be clear, I’m not saying to avoid start-ups completely; I’m just gently recommending that you go into any start-up adventure with your eyes WIDE open and your feet planted SQUARELY on the ground.