[simonebrunozzi]

I left a FAANG-like job in 2016 (VP, CTO) to join a startup.

It was a disaster.

I then co-founded a startup.

I left two years later, parted ways with the other two co-founders in a friendly way.

All this time, I funded my life with my savings.

I had enough on the side to do that, and thankfully other things went well in my life, so I don't really regret it, but...

If I could go back, I'd simply tell myself that most of the time, quitting a well-paying job if you are not in a F*ck-you money [0] territory, is a bad idea.

[0]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XamC7-Pt8N0

[ericmcer]

As I get older this more and more seems like the way. I have friends with 10+ years at a single job. They work 2-4 hours a day remotely and are so senior they would be very difficult to replace. They will easily be able to retire in their early 40s. Meanwhile I have done 1-3 years at a bunch of different places, tried to start my own things, and am still grinding out 10 hour days.

[hipadev23]

> They work 2-4 hours a day remotely and are so senior they would be very difficult to replace.

Everyone is replaceable. I'd argue this is entirely the continuance of zero-rate interest phenomenon and corporations are waking up to it. e.g. Google just announced more layoffs this morning.

[quantified]

It's truly lame and over-resourced management that allows this practice. I'd argue it signifies a lack of good management practice if the bus factor is high and the actual utilization is low.

I can't fault the engineer for taking advantage if they can.

[ldjkfkdsjnv]

100% I am seeing this alot

[swimorsinka]

Yep. I did the exact same thing ~10ish years ago - leaving my job at Google to run my own startup for 2.5 years. I burned through most of my savings. In the meantime, I watched as my former colleagues got numerous promotions and made more and more money.

I wouldn't trade the perspective I got from the experience, but it was extremely emotionally painful.

[marssaxman]

Did you launch the startup because you expected to make money, or because you thought the product was worthwhile and you wanted to build it?

[swimorsinka]

Both at the time. In retrospect, I was extremely naive, and I was building something I thought was "cool" instead of something that people would really want.

[Dopameaner]

Similar story, but went back to FAANG

[gaws]

> thankfully other things went well in my life

Like what?