This is in response to a HN post from today [Autotab](https://www.ycombinator.com/companies/autotab/jobs/V5V8saO-founding-engineer)<p>"We are building a tiny, ambitious team that works shoulder-to-shoulder 6 days / week."<p>"Compensation: $130 - $180 / 0.50% - 2.49%
Location: NYC"<p>Why would anyone work six days a week for 0.5%?<p>At 0.5% ownership, the company needs a $40million valuation for this equity to be worth $200K pre-tax.<p>If they have more investment rounds and you get diluted to 0.1%, for the equity to be worth $200K the company needs a $200million valuation.<p>So here's my question: What factors might make these terms appealing, or what might be the reasons someone would consider such a role despite these conditions?<p>edit: "these conditions" being average/low base, equity with tiny prospects of becoming life-changing money, work 6 days a week
I'm stuck on that 6-day workweek thing. It's like admitting you don't want people to be good at their job! I get it that sometimes in a startup you need people <i>willing</i> to go into crunch time. But saying you are <i>planning</i> for every single week to be crunch time means you just suck at leadership and are obsessed with control.<p>And what's worse, it's for an automation company!<p>> Work on one of the most important problems in the field. Digital robots will unlock the next 100x productivity increase, and free humans from trillions of hours of soul-crushing work.<p>"We need you to put in 60 hour weeks to save people from soul-crushing work"<p>If you are the founder who posted this job listing and happen to be reading this post, you <i>fundamentally</i> need to change your attitude about your business. You are explicitly making a business culture of misunderstanding your customer base. If you don't appreciate the value of a life or personal time, <i>do not run an automation company</i>.
Startups are more challenging and interesting. Your work also has significant impact.<p>If your motivation is primarily money with reliable odds, startups are not the path.<p>Most people choose to work at a startup for different reasons, the mission is the main reason for me.
2.5% is generous!<p>People pick a startup, rather than an established company, for the potential benefit of coming in on the ground-level of a future unicorn, so equity matters BIG time.<p>As for the 6 days a week thing, I think they are setting expectations and filtering out the 9-5ers. I don't think they would realistically ask for an on-going 6 day commitment, but they are trying to target those that would not shy away from that ask.
> We think the most exciting thing you can do is build a great company tackling an important problem<p>At least, from the way, these founders are describing it, they’re looking for someone who agrees with this viewpoint.<p>So it isn’t about the money for them.