Quoting the original article, "If you’re taking a $X pay cut to join a startup, you’re really investing $X in them. Far be it from me to tell you how to spend your money, but make sure you’re happy with what you’re getting in return."
The appropriate consideration when working for most startups is not that you're getting a cash dividend, quite the opposite - it's equivalent to the startup withholding a significant amount from each paycheck, and "buying" options/stock/whatever with that withheld money - you honestly earned that money, but you're not getting cash but something else instead. Is that something else a good value for that money?
The appropriate consideration when working for most startups is not that you're getting a cash dividend, quite the opposite - it's equivalent to the startup withholding a significant amount from each paycheck, and "buying" options/stock/whatever with that withheld money - you honestly earned that money, but you're not getting cash but something else instead. Is that something else a good value for that money?