Yeah, but then you are working for AirBbB or Uber (or worse, Facebook). Eww.
Private companies/startups are still doing options.
And options are worthless. My employee recently loaded all employee stock options / holdings into a stock trading/tracking system and as soon as the FMV from the latest 409a was loaded in people flipped their shit. Turns out that no, joining a nearly decade old private company with limited stock options and a "mature" FMV isn't going to make you millions of dollars. Especially when you're going to be spending five figgies to exercise.
Private companies/startups are still doing options.
And options are worthless. My employee recently loaded all employee stock options / holdings into a stock trading/tracking system and as soon as the FMV from the latest 409a was loaded in people flipped their shit. Turns out that no, joining a nearly decade old private company with limited stock options and a "mature" FMV isn't going to make you millions of dollars. Especially when you're going to be spending five figgies to exercise.