[jerguismi]

> To expand on it further, even if you are lucky to have joined a unicorn, you still didn't get a good deal in comparison to virtually everyone else involved in the company. The founders are likely billionaires and you made off with a low 7 figure outcome while taking on only marginally less risk. That's not a good deal by any reasonable definition.

I wouldn't see the risk of being an employee and founder as similar. Typically often founders are for time periods without salary etc. Early employee should just consider it as a job with more risk of the company going down under (that risk also exists in more established company). You can request more salary for the job or some additional perks (such as options).

I think for the employee the risks of joining to startup are quite easy to manage compared to a founder.

[wolco]

The issue is you can't ask for more money.

Increased risk of a startup should mean increased salary. What it has turned into is lower salary with options to get rewarded if all goes extremely well. If things go only okay then the salary is about the same.

The risk can be higher for a founder but could be more risky for an employee based on personal situations. The reward ratio is higher for founder and control over risk is in their hands.