DesperadoDinero

Director, Member Services

Jump ship to "hypergrowth startup" or stay at safe Enterprise

My fellow degenerates. My work BFF who I can lament and share pains with is being poached by our old boss (who jumped ship to one of our client's).

Should I dissuade him and convince him to stay? There is decent upside at the org we're currently at (exposure to logos, working directly with C-suite, decent comp plan).

The startup he's planning to join is heavily inbound and all he would have to do is manage the leads and close - they're PLG. The org we're currently at is semi-established and growing marginal YoY despite the economic conditions.

TLDR: Convince coworker to stay at "established" enterprise with marginal growth opportunity or take risk at high-lead inbound startup where the owner is planning to sell after they 5x

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22 comments

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SoccerandSales

Big Shot

Account Executive

Visually, your description screams selfishness and not actually operating in the best interest of the friend given the language of marginal growth at the current company. I tend to be selfish in these things as well because losing your work BFF is super difficult, but that is just what I am seeing here

Sunbunny31

Politicker

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

Why would you discourage him? Concern for his job future? I mean, you're free to point out the pros/cons of such a move, but maybe give the dude some credit for taking all into consideration. Is he asking for your opinion and insight?

CuriousFox

WR Officer

🦊

👀🍿

oldcloser

Arsonist

💀

I mean... do they carpool or something?
If you love someone set them free...

Edit: Analogy used. I should have scrolled.

lowhangersalesbanger

Executive

Director of Sales

That startup experience can be invaluable as a learning experience and as a key to the door that is the early stage startup shitshow. Those jobs can be very lucrative for your friend if it works. It is a risk and I am sure he knows that. If you love him, let him go.

DesperadoDinero

Valued Contributor

Director, Member Services

"you must set free that which you love" - some stoic philosopher

CPTAmerica

Opinionated

President/CRO

Doesn't sound like it's your call. If it's truly a good friend your job is to listen and encourage regardless of his choice.

DesperadoDinero

Valued Contributor

Director, Member Services

So here are the objective pros/cons:

Door #1: Enterprise, safer book of business but the product is less sticky and opportunity for growth is limited. Already invested 6 months into learning this business. Learning curve is high but the org is "safe".

Comp = 70base/120 OTE

Door #2: Hypergrowth startup, undeveloped processes (HR is also the CEO). Sales function is non existent, he would be the Founding AE. But it's PLG with 80% inbound leads.

Comp = 80base/120-130 OTE

Sunbunny31

Politicker

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

How does this change your argument, though? You're not trying to convince us. Have you talked to your buddy yet?

DesperadoDinero

Valued Contributor

Director, Member Services

It was his idea to post here. Just looking for insight and opinion while also sharing how I personally feel (I'm aware it's selfish)

Sunbunny31

Politicker

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

Ah, interesting. Well, there are definitely pros and cons. Good points by Space_Ghost20 about the fairly insignificant base pay bump - it's less than $1K/mo, and the associated risks may not make it worth the jump.

And tell your bud he can come here too. For things like this, we don't bite. ;)

DesperadoDinero

Valued Contributor

Director, Member Services

haha been trying to get him to create an account. But based on the feedback so far, this may be the catalyst :)

braintank

Politicker

Enterprise Account Executive

I def wouldn't leave a "safe" harbor to a brand new opp for a measly $10K bump.

P.S. Everyone gets sold the PLG/inbound dream, so take that with a grain of salt

jefe

Arsonist

🍁

Nowhere near a large enough bump

Space_Ghost20

Valued Contributor

Account Executive

I'm probably coming at this from a different perspective, having never worked at an established company (and likely never will, though not by my choice). It would have to be a really great startup opportunity. The economic environment is incredibly unstable right now, and "high growth" startups don't have the track record of reliable predictability that I personally would want to see. They might be one bad marketing campaign, or one rate hike, or one misstep in R&D away from catastrophe (which I've seen).

The scenario you laid out is him probably/possibly making an extra $10k a year. That just wouldn't be enough for me to take that risk. It's possible your friend believes the upside long term (upward mobility, etc.) is worth it, or just likes the idea of building something. So I can't tell you his values, only how I would look at it.

Pachacuti

Politicker

They call me Daddy, Sales Daddy

Would you inherit any of the accounts your BFF would be leaving if they went to the other company? That's the real question 😉

DesperadoDinero

Valued Contributor

Director, Member Services

That's the million dollar question :)

braintank

Politicker

Enterprise Account Executive

I'd rarely encourage someone to join an early stage startup, but if that's what they want, let them go...

Kosta_Konfucius

Politicker

Sales Rep

You got to let them fly in start up world

coletrain

Politicker

Account Executive

Make sure he's aware of the pros/cons and leave the decision to him.

Depends on what he's looking for, not you.

However, given the 10k bump and being the founding AE I would shy away and maintain stability. 20+, I'm considering the move more actively

Maximas

Tycoon

Senior Sales Executive

Simple,just let him know frankly what you've just told us and it'll be still up to him at the end of the day,right..to me I would let him take his own decision as long his he wanna try it just to avoid any future regrets for the opportunity he's enthusiastic to go for!
I personally believe though that he'll be more into considering your thoughts being his best friend:)

CRAG112

Valued Contributor

Account Executive

Big LOL at all he has to do is close when the leads come in. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHA

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DesperadoDinero

Jump ship to "hypergrowth startup" or stay at safe Enterprise

22 comments

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