[qhoang09]

The thing you need to realize about startups is that everyone else is figuring it out too. If you feel left out or like you're being replaced, it's not on purpose.

Unlike a big company where there's a very strict hierarchy and structure, and all you have to do to rise up in the ranks is put in the time, in a startup it's a free-for-all.

That means you have the power to change your situation. As more engineers join and take on pieces of work you've been involved in, you can start to scale yourself. Be a leader, start new initiatives, think about the bigger picture instead of just your job, and inspire others to see your vision.

You don't need a fancy exec title to be a leader. You don't need permission. You just need to start behaving like one.