Startup Employee Turns Into a Clown

I was one of the earliest employees at this startup. It's been an amazing, rewarding journey. I've put a lot of heart and soul in. A lot of late nights, but it's been satisfying to see it grow. Sure, I only own a few basis points but the company was mostly de-risked when I joined. The founders deserve what they have. It's not really about the comp for me. I'm motivated by impact. This will be a jumping off point for the rest of my career.

A man gradually applies clown makeup while describing his sincere loyalty to a startup and minimizing his tiny ownership stake. The punchline is that his idealistic statements make him look increasingly foolish, mocking startup employees who accept low compensation or equity while founders become wealthy. It is used as a reaction to naive startup optimism, bad career decisions, or rationalizing exploitation.

• @profunctor_io / 8711 2023-03-07