Startups Stack Exchange Archive

Should I keep working for this startup?

posted by: Mickey Toride on 2015-07-30
tagged: equity, project-management, programmers
score: 3

I started working for this startup 3 years ago. I got 5% in the start but I worked more than half a year without any pay, then I worked for almost a minimum pay till recently when I got a raise which gives me a good pay compared to the software engineers in my country.

Since we got an angel round and then one smaller investment I’ve been diluted a bit so my 5% is more like 3-4%. We are profitable now for half a year so it looks like the business might take of.

This is the problems I am having:

Lately the work has become just dull. New features we develop are just simple code everybody could write.
I work stupid hours, because I’m the only one who does backend programming so everybody relies on my fixing thing at any hour.
I always get the feeling that one of the co-founders is just doing whatever he wants to do although we have a plan what to do and when he doesn’t do things we agreed she makes up some excuses.
Work organization is not good. When we were in developing mode it was fine and then we kinda loose control and lately everybody does what they think it’s right.
How CTO (the other co-founder) treats people. One guy already quit and he said his it is because he wants to do something else but I think it’s also that sometimes CTO insisted that he first talk to him for 15min cause he has to go although that guy wanted to eat dinner first. And once the CTO mentioned briefly to him (I think when he asked about raise) that “people are replaceable”.
Also when I asked for a raise he talked to me as though I don’t deserve it but someone else convinced him to give it to me.

I’m just wondering if I should cling to the idea of getting good money someday because of my 3-4% and stick with it for a while longer? Is it worth it despite a few negatives to stick with it? Or should I find something more suitable with more challenge?

Thanks for all the answers!

Answer 5910

posted by: Ali on 2015-07-31
score: 2

One of the the biggest hurdle startups have reaching profitability. And equity in a failed profitless startup is meaningless.

It seems that you have helped this startup clear that hurdle to become profitable. And it seems counter intuitive to want to quit now. Periodic disillusionment and disenchantment is normal at any job and it comes and goes. Since you have invested so much time and effort into this startup maybe it is a good idea to wait on especially if you see a future for the startups products.

Maybe a vacation might help you can weather out this bad patch and wait on. If you want to quit, check the contract to see if there are any penalties for quitting, and for a vesting schedule for your shares. It might also be prudent to find an alternate position before leaving this one.

As for your CTO, bad bosses are everywhere and in startups one of the causes of it is lack of people management experience. Perhaps your CTO might become better overtime as he gains experience and perhaps he might appreciate feedback. You could also make connections with other C level or senior staff in the company in order to get some leverage on your side.

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