←back to thread

Lessons from my first exit

(mtlynch.io)
410 points saeedesmaili | 4 comments | 14 Nov 24 07:32 UTC | HN request time: 0.623s | source
Show context
ffjffsfr ◴[14 Nov 24 12:19 UTC] No.42135513[source]▶
great write up.

> $920k over four years

so this gives an average yearly salary of 230k. Very close to FAANG senior salary with much more risk, effort and (probably) worse life-work balance. OP quit from google in 2018 and ran some other business, and this is his biggest sale so far. I think it shows how hard it is to make better money outside FAANG even when extremely talented and lucky like OP. But it's probably more about lifestyle choices.

replies(14): >>42135533 #>>42135574 #>>42135591 #>>42135665 #>>42135736 #>>42135883 #>>42135965 #>>42136423 #>>42137306 #>>42137682 #>>42138892 #>>42141086 #>>42141087 #>>42143450 #
optymizer ◴[14 Nov 24 14:30 UTC] No.42136423[source]▶
Senior devs are closer to 400K-500K total comp. Very senior devs are above that.

Still, the value of working on your own project full-time (rather than someone else's thing) can easily justify accepting the difference.

replies(1): >>42140273 #
1. yen223 ◴[14 Nov 24 19:39 UTC] No.42140273[source]▶
I'm surprised no one here has factored in the very real risk of getting laid off.
replies(2): >>42140983 #>>42160555 #
2. negus ◴[14 Nov 24 20:41 UTC] No.42140983[source]▶
Do you think that this risk is bigger than you business being hit by the market?
replies(1): >>42141147 #
3. yen223 ◴[14 Nov 24 20:59 UTC] No.42141147[source]▶
Probably not, but it's still not 0
4. ozim ◴[16 Nov 24 23:37 UTC] No.42160555[source]▶
I am very surprised no one factored - starting own company can be much more realistic to achieve than landing $400k/year gig at FAANG - it is not like one walks into a lobby and gets a job.

Keep in mind stories of people telling how they were passed on by some big name corp just to go on to build something big.