[kobeya]

Um, off-topic but you might be making poor life choices here.

First of all we're in the middle of a boom cycle and any competent engineer (which I assume you are) can get a six-figure salary WITH equity at even the earliest-stage funded startups.

Second, your chances of making it big on equity alone are pitifully small. The expected returns on startup equity is less than the salary cut you take when compared with the stable job at Big Co. The median return is zero.

If you were bootstrapping your own startup with only ramen profitability, I would have mad respect for you. But you say you aren't even working on your own startup right now. Wherever you are working you are likely very underpaid for what you are doing.

[quickben]

But these 'competent engineers' rocking 100k+ in this boom cycle, are not 69% of the population.

If you are in the lucky minority, be honest with yourself and put money aside while it lasts. I have friends for whom it didn't.

[kobeya]

No really, by competent I mean just general competency. Like the ability to ship a product at all. Not talking about superstars or whatever.