
If working for a company is so bad, how can you possibly convince people to work for your startup? Isn't this deception? - amichail

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pg
(a) Most people either don't have the energy to start a startup, or don't want
the stress. For them jobs are right.

(b) For the earliest employees, it's more like being a founder than having a
normal job.

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amichail
Unrewarding work can result in stress and lack of energy.

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ashu
There is at least an order-of-magnitude difference in startup-stress vs.
normal-job-stress. Same holds for the energy needed to overcome it.

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amichail
This probably depends on the person. Working for someone with the loss of
control that this entails can be an absolutely devastating experience.

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staunch
An attempt an analogy:

Some people would find it less stressful to pilot a small aircraft over open
waters than be a passenger in a large jet flying over land.

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lee
Working for a company doesn't have to be bad. For many people, a good job at a
startup can be very attractive. First and foremost is the feeling that you are
working on something that's never been done before. That's exciting and
creates a powerful sense of community and adventure.

Sometimes a founder has the HR gift and can intuitively put together a team
that really runs like clockwork and everyone feels it and wants to be part of
it.

You can find that different companies can be geared toward people at different
stages of their lives. If someone has young children, a startup can provide
flexibility and insurance. Same thing if someone has already retired or is
changing careers. That can be especially juicy because you're getting someone
with experience who can spot problems before they get bad and let you know
about them.

What can you offer your employees? A healthy safe environment where their
talents are recognized and rewarded? Options? Community? A place to learn new
skills and grow?

Startups are good places for people with multiple skillsets. Someone who can
wear sales, marketing and backup code hats would never get the opportunity to
exercise all of his or her skillsets in a large company where with a small
startup would find themselves particularly valued and valuable.

You can definitely engineer your hiring so that everyone winds up a winner.
I'd be concerned about working for you if you were convinced that working for
a company would have to suck. What kind of environment would you create? How
fast would your turnover be? What kind of people do you want to hire and how
do you intend to retain them?

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chrisjohnston
Working for a company is bad for you. Some people need the safety and security
of a job. They need someone to tell them when to be at work and what to do
when they get there. They may be dedicated employees, they may even be great
managers, but they have no desire to take the risk involved in starting
something from scratch. They crave the comfort and security that comes from an
established company and can't handle the very real possibility that if that
start a company it might fail.

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vo0do0
I believe in small teams and people that has stock options... I read something
that could answer this on the hot or not blog founder few days ago.

<http://james.hotornot.com/2007/02/on-having-balls-part-ii-staying-
hungry.html>

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paul
Working at a fun startup is very different from working in some big company.
Answer: make your startup a great place to work.

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lmuwanga
It's not deception. The great thing about start-ups is that we determine the
company culture. With mine I'd like employees to enjoy more autonomy than in
corporate where it's laid back and everyone has a voice for the direction of
the company.

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brlewis
It is true that saying "Working for a company is bad. Come work for my
company" doesn't make sense, but so what? I don't see people saying exactly
that. Where did your question come from and where are you going with it?

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rajamohan
provide him the ownership and when they feel they too are the owners
contribution and dedication automatically flows and that is what bind them
together with the company.

