[illuminant]

The cash to pay workers and rent must come from somewhere. Either an investor cash infusion (VC) or some exotic shell dance of market survival until everyone gets reliably paid.

Consider it is the art of keeping money flowing that allows companies to survive. While employees owning stock is in no way rare, employees managing cash reserves (especially in the first three year viability phase) is a different matter.

Someone else owning the company you're paid to work for is the convenience tax for keeping business alive.

Try doing anything with anyone involving money and responsibilities and you will throw your rosey glasses away and get back to making your own value even if commoditized by another!