[mkramlich]

I think another factor Om didn't mention, which is also at play, is that an increasing number of talented engineers and designers are striking off on their own and building their own startups. It's not so much they're being poached by other companies as they are poaching themselves. There's so much cheap infrastructure, frameworks and open source packages today that I think the balance of power in software startups is shifting more towards talent inputs, and away from mere cash inputs.

[ericflo]

Yeah, I think top engineers have realized that even if they don't succeed as a business, companies like Facebook will often buy them for their talent with more upside than they would have gotten being hired through the normal means.

But at some point that will stop being true, so now more than ever I think it's important to be trying to build real, sustainable businesses.

[mkramlich]

yep, plus when you work for somebody else in a traditional job you get put in a narrow slot. just an engineer. just a designer. whereas if you start your own business or (sometimes) work at a startup you can be an engineer, graphic designer, UI, product, writer, marketing, sales, biz dev, bookkeeper, etc. plus pick your own tech, tools, office, hours, dress code, etc. And even when you "lose" at a startup or self-employment venture you still win in many ways because of all the skills and experience you exercised and how much better your resume can look.