1. Trust - Do you trust the cofounders to bring in the team necessary to build the machine that is the business?
2. Culture - Is this a culture where you can grow?
3. Belief - Do you clearly believe the value proposition the company is trying to build?
4. Pay - Will you be comfortable at that pay for ~3 years while you help build the machine?
5. Investment - Will the equity trade be worth your time, roughly ~4-10 years?
If you can answer the questions above, you'll be way ahead of most people when evaluating startups. These are the things that went through my mind when I ditched a larger company for a little unknown startup at Pier 38 which now has become +100 people with an amazing product. I haven't left and its been 3 years. I still trust, believe, and comfortable enough to keep moving along.
2. Culture - Is this a culture where you can grow?
3. Belief - Do you clearly believe the value proposition the company is trying to build?
4. Pay - Will you be comfortable at that pay for ~3 years while you help build the machine?
5. Investment - Will the equity trade be worth your time, roughly ~4-10 years?
If you can answer the questions above, you'll be way ahead of most people when evaluating startups. These are the things that went through my mind when I ditched a larger company for a little unknown startup at Pier 38 which now has become +100 people with an amazing product. I haven't left and its been 3 years. I still trust, believe, and comfortable enough to keep moving along.