

Are Startups Cool? - dshanahan
http://dshan.me/are-startups-cool/

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mimiflynn
Startups are just like any venture into starting your own business: its hard.
But, your article talks about 'working at a startup' as if interchangeable
with 'founding a startup', when, obviously, its not. I agree with your tribe
membership reference, but, its almost more like being in a bad relationship
when you think about the employee.

Lots of young fresh developers are drawn to startups because of the pingpong
tables and 'free' meals, potential equity in the business, and the coolness of
being at a startup. They get a salary that isn't as much as they could be
making at an established business, but they get all those perks, and they
might even be able to own part of the business one day. They have to work long
hours and get no vacation and have limited resources (sometimes having to use
their own personal computer!) because the business is a startup and working at
a startup means its exciting and you're going to take over the world and
everyone will know about you, but, really, you don't have time to have a life.
You're forced to write really bad code to get a feature out fast because the
investors want to see something, anything, which means refactoring for a
better future is out of the question because they just need to sell the
startup to a big firm ASAP.

Its hard to keep a straight face around a developer that just moved to New
York City talking about the cool new startup they just got a job at, quoting
their salary (which is far below average) and pitching like a business person
why their company is different than all of their more established competitors.
I'm not trying to say 'straight face' as in laugh at them, I mean 'straight
face' as in "you're about to fall off the cliff into bitter bitter land like
me and I'm sorry!" especially when they talk of catered lunched and dinners
and events and such because all it means if they feed you is that they don't
want you to leave the office.

So, yes, I agree with you that startups are difficult. I just thought the
employee's perspective is valid in this case too.

~~~
dshanahan
I agree that I slipped in between 'founding' and 'working' a bit. The
conversation that inspired the post was agnostic to the distinction,
obviously, but you're right there are differences. I think it's most useful to
actually explore the 'employee' experience, as outsiders will most likely end
up there if they jump from traditional work - this is what I'm seeing most
often anyway.

I wouldn't go so far as to say working in startups leads inevitably to
bitterness for the people who are made for it. I did certainly write the post
hoping it serves as fair warning that you should expect it to suck a lot.

~~~
mimiflynn
Yeah, I shouldn't speak for everyone when I speak of my own bitterness ;)

Overall, I'm glad I worked for a startup because it gave me the insight to
understand what I would want to do differently in my own business.

