[artiscode]

I accepted early on that working for a startup will probably not make me rich. Quite the opposite, I may wake up one day and find out that I no longer have a job or my next salary isn't coming. I'm not the kind of person who believes in gambling. Working and living in Europe doesn't really help with the vision that I might join a European unicorn startup, whose stocks might not be worthless one day.

However I do see a lot of benefits that come with working for a startup. You can voice your opinion and be heard. Pushing code to production on your first day. Owning what you do and being able to make decisions. Creating your own environment in which you can learn and become a better developer.

And, most importantly, startups are more open to remote than BigCo Inc.

Monetary compensation might be less, but freedom has a price. If I'm able to work remotely, I can move to a place that is cheaper to live.

[fyfy18]

Most of the startups I've come across in Europe usually pay at or near to market rates. Maybe it's just my experience (I've mostly been working as a contractor), but I find this somewhat surprising, given that the social structures here mean that taking a risk by working unpaid/lower pay for a startup isn't such a big issue.