Working at Big Tech Companies Can Be a Trap - Michael Seibel

TL;DR

Working at a big tech company is often a trap for aspiring founders because learning is slow (you are a tiny part of a large machine) and compensation structures (signing bonuses, stock grants, high salary) are designed to make leaving painful, while lifestyle inflation increases your spending.

Key insights

• Working at a big company provides access to new problems but the day-to-day experience is “not very useful” for creating a startup because you are a tiny part of a large machine; learning pace is much
• Big companies use signing bonuses, recurring stock option grants, and high salaries to create discomfort around leaving, and pair this with lifestyle inflation (nicer apartment, car, vacations) that r
• The trap: while intending to gain experience and save for a startup, you actually learn slowly, increase your spending, and are then motivated to stay by the money you would leave on the table.