[aardvark179]

> Isn't part of the issue that early on in a start-up, everyone is indispensable, and often that comes with putting in extra hours and going the "extra mile" for the viability of the company?

There seems to be a strong culture in American companies, and especially in startups, of rewarding heroic efforts. But if I see people putting in heroic efforts to get things done I tend to look for ways to not need those efforts in the future.

Good experienced engineers can help ensure that you don’t keep having to go that extra mile to get the job done in the first place.