I'm currently living in Strasbourg, east of France, near the german border. I've started Novelys, a small Ruby/Rails shop, nearly 6 years ago.<p>I've just got a proposal to get hired and relocated to SF. The proposal is valid for me and my team (we're 5).<p>Difficult choice : be an entrepreneur in Strasbourg or a software engineer in SF.<p>Have you ever encounter a similar choice ? What did you choose ? Any advices ?
If anyone ever offers you to come live and work in another country for a while, the answer should always be yes.<p>Going to a different country will teach you things both about the place you move to, and about your home. It will give you new perspectives and experiences that you can't get any other way. You will be a better person for it.<p>And if it doesn't work out, you can always move back.
"Difficult choice : be an entrepreneur in Strasbourg or a software engineer in SF."<p>Being an entrepeneur is not only about being the boss of your own company. I think many people get this wrong. Entrepreneurship should be in the blood. The hunger, the curiosity, the will to change the daily-job status quo.<p>I used to run my own 2 companies with 2 partners, but I decided to change something and try another approach. Currently I have a well payed job which allows me to save money for peronal business experiments. The main reason why I decided to give up my previous 2 companies was that I did not like the enviroment. Don't get me wrong, my partners were good guys, but I felt no chemistry and no inspiration.<p>My suggestion: go for it. Being a software engineer in SF will open new gates for you and if entrepreurship is in your blood, you can not fail. ;)
I can't claim to know anything about your own personal life but I would say one thing - whats the worst that could happen?<p>I moved from the UK to Japan nearly two years ago (with g/f of 7 years). Sometimes being away form home sucks, as does the frequent feeling of isolation and knowledge that if the work life sucks you have to leave the country. Sometimes its amazing - I love the country (and my work) and the people I have met. My overriding feeling is that even though I really miss a lot of my UK life, (including the company I worked for on the odd occasion) I am glad I took the leap, for no other reason than I got to experience this.<p>YMMV
It really depends on if you have family/kids. That sort of move will require a lot more thought and planning if you are to move your whole family. Compared to if you are single, you only have yourself to look after and provide for. I have just immigrated to England from New Zealand with my wife without the certainty of work. Luckily we have a family friend who is housing us while we look. I would say that the chance to move over to SF with the certainty of work is something that might not come up very often. If you did decided to go I would definitely try to arrange to keep your company in France going.
Short: don't hesitate a second (though negotiate hard).<p>Long: How many times can this happen? Honestly?? How big is the startup? How much press do they get ON A DAILY BASIS? How much equity would you get? How big is their market?<p>You can always come back to (beautiful!) Strasbourg. You won't have many other similar opportunities.
I think it depends what you want for your life in the next 3 years.<p>It's always a good opportunity to save money and see in 3 years where you are and decide which way to go (continue to SF or come back in France). It could be a good stimulant for your entrepreneurship and intellectual skills as well.<p>But your current position has a lot of good points too.<p>I'm always thinking about what I want in my life, this is what is really important here.
france is better for your family in the future.. My opinion..
You work like 4 days and a half (if I am not wrong), free school etc..
Europe: you work to live
SF: you live to work<p>Choose what you think is best for you..
Get the opinion of your whole team. Whatever all of you would agree upon (and I am sure that everyone would have the team's betterment in perspective), then you decide.