[nostrademons]

The startups that succeed do not generally have average early employees. Remember that founding a startup and successfully taking it to a large exit is a decidedly non-average outcome; the average startup fails miserably.

I think that if you're seeking non-average wealth you should first strive to be non-average. There are a number of pathways to exceptional wealth, but all of them require being exceptional in some way.

[noodle]

Eh, I've been an early employee at several startups with successful exists. Each one had average early employees where the only thing they did that was truly exceptional was believe/commit in the cause early and stick it out. They helped the company get from point A to point B when others wouldn't. And they got great outcomes when liquidity arrived.

Being non-average definitely has better results, of course. But if you aren't, I do think there are still pathways for you at startups, while there generally speaking aren't at FAANG level companies.