[sarthakjain]

15k at a $200M outcome (ignoring liquidation preferences) means he had 0.0075% assuming 70% dilution from the time he joined to exit. He joined at 0.025%. assuming everyone before him got on average got 5x what he got that's still 1.5% to all the first 15 employees combined. Which is beyond attrocious.

My guess as to what happened here is op got bored with job at big co. Startup offered 10% higher or same salary. Told him he is getting some stock, he didn't bother to find out how much.

What you should get as employee 15 at a startup if your 2+ years of experience (according to ops resume on his website) is at least 0.1% which would have translated to $70k (assuming 70% dilution). In India a big co employee at 2+ years probably makes $40-50k at best including stock. That's close to 1.5 years salary at least at exit having worked for 2 years at the company. Assuming 25% of salary was in stock at big co he lost 20k in stock over 2 years. 70/20 is 3.5x and gives an annual rate of return of 80% which is roughly similar growth to big co. in it's best years.

Moral of story count your stock when joining a startup.