Given how much the big tech companies are paying though, especially when it comes to RSUs, I'm not sure this calculus makes sense anymore, especially for early employees. Founders may do exceptionally well on many cases, but for most early employees at startups there really isn't that much potential upside in most cases, compared to the guaranteed earnings you can get at a top tech company.
My take is over the last 30 years the return for early employees has become progressively worse. To the point where the best case scenario you only break even vs a traditional job.
Given how much the big tech companies are paying though, especially when it comes to RSUs, I'm not sure this calculus makes sense anymore, especially for early employees. Founders may do exceptionally well on many cases, but for most early employees at startups there really isn't that much potential upside in most cases, compared to the guaranteed earnings you can get at a top tech company.