SaaS: Stay with the Series A or jump to the public company?

I've been with a Hospitality SaaS startup (~30 employees, 10 AEs) for the past 3 months as an AE. They've left me to my own devices and are generally very hands off. This is great because I don't like being micromanaged, but it's bad in that I have very little support from the rest of the team. In these first three months, I have closed as many deals as the rest of the sales team combined. The territory is massive - I'm the lone rep in the largest city in Canada. The product is promising, but if I'm completely honest it's not ready for market. I've spent most of my week addressing bugs during an onboarding instead of selling, which is a big problem.



Recently, a more established player in the field approached me about an opportunity with their company. The company is publicly traded and well established in the retail SaaS sector and is making a push into hospitality SaaS. I would be one of 5 field reps in the same metropolitan area. They have dedicated teams for onboarding, customer success, and several other things which I currently do at the startup.


The second company is putting me through multiple rounds of interviews and moving very fast, I expect an offer from them soon. Same title, same base, slightly lower OTE, same equity package (in today's $ value, but a fraction of the Series A if they make it).


My question is this - all things considered, would you stay with the Series A for the high risk/reward potential of having equity at this early stage, or join a more established player in a market facing heavy competition from several new entries in the market?

๐Ÿค Interviewing/Offer
๐Ÿ“ณ SaaS
๐Ÿ“  Startup
10
Kosta_Konfucius
Politicker
3
Sales Rep
Why did you interview with this new company when pay was less? What was going wrong with the your current role and how did this new one solve it?

You didnโ€™t mention a negative outside of it being a hands off management style which is also a positive.
HVACexpert
Politicker
2
sales engineer
Pay isnโ€™t everything. If they have better insurance, expense reimbursement , company car, support, etc. all that goes a long way too.
Anonygoose
Contributor
1
Field Account Executive
The negative is that the current company's product is not ready for market. Could be great in 6 months but not right now. It's hard to build rapport with this many bugs in the software and I don't want to burn bridges pitching a faulty product to people in my network.
The company reached out to me. I wasn't looking, but I won't turn down a conversation. Base salary is equivalent. OTE is OTE Series A says I'll make more but could be they are overpromising, which makes it a level playing field.
Sunbunny31
Politicker
0
Sr Sales Executive ๐Ÿฐ
Are commissions uncapped at the more established company? If so, then OTE is immaterial.
Anonygoose
Contributor
1
Field Account Executive
Commission is uncapped at both companies
Sunbunny31
Politicker
0
Sr Sales Executive ๐Ÿฐ
At the very least, see if you can get a pay bump to move. We've had savages negotiate that based on losing out on payouts at the first company.
GDO
Politicker
0
BDM
great questions!
braintank
Politicker
3
Enterprise Account Executive
Go to the established compay, but don't take a pay cut
jefe
Arsonist
0
๐Ÿ
100%
CuriousFox
WR Officer
2
๐ŸฆŠ
I wouldn't interview unless the pay was higher.
Diablo
Politicker
2
Sr. AE
Read some reviews online. Though the product isnโ€™t ready, do you see the team putting efforts to resolve the big issues permanently.
Iโ€™ll never join for less $ unless I have no choice. I will also consider work life balance and that is important to me. All the best !
TheDude
Politicker
1
Partnerships Lead
Product is buggy and ote logic is conditional on if they make it? Your equity is only a pipe dream until it becomes fungible. Have you seen the cap sheet for when your VCs come knocking to fulfill their exit position?
The ability to capitalize on the public company's equity generates more cashflow in the short term which you can invest for the longer.
Can you negotiate the base up?
wolfofmiami
Opinionated
0
๐Ÿบ
You prob have a better work life balance at the other company, but more reward at your current. You gotta decide what you want
Quad
Executive
0
SDR
Whereโ€™s the startup heading and is it worth staying with them to find out?
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