Working For StartUps

[Pip in a Poke]

Just wondering what people's experiences are of startups & their relationships with them.

I've heard some bad stories about how arrogant some of these companies can be and was wondering how much of it is justified.

I guess the name "start up" should tell you all you need to know. They're in the early stages of business & as such will be paying very close attention to how their money is spent. This, I guess, often translates into excessive micro management and control.

Fair enough but some of these places really take themselves way to serious & this affects the culture.

I've been to a couple of places where it's been like being a member of a cult!

A colleague of mine was telling me how, during his first week at a gig in Bristol, he'd been shown a website and he joked that they'd obviously seen his own ltd co. website as the designs were so similar.

That was the seed for his own downfall unfortunately & he was gone 2 weeks later. Through no fault of his own but just not the right fit for the culture.

This leads me to think that maybe it's best to target big, established companies when choosing a client. Any one else see any merit in this? Are you wary of startups?

[jmo21]

My tuppence....

I had an interview lined up with a start up in December, but ended up pulling out as I just couldn't shake a bad feeling about them.

Not them specifically, more that they were a start up, they were so small, and to be frank, I'm nervous about the potential for them to fail and owe me money.

Despite real no evidence of that other than low numbers for their first few years on Company Check, I just felt it wasn't worth the risk.
They had unsuccessfully trying to hire a permie, so their expectations would likely have been for me to tide them over for a bit (v short contract, bad) or persuade me to go permie (also bad).

If you are going into one as a permie, with stock options, in an exciting field you are interested in, then I can see why people might be happy joining a start up.

EDIT: that doesn't really answer the questions in your post though, apologies

[Pip in a Poke]

EDIT: that doesn't really answer the questions in your post though, apologies

No, but it adds another dimension to consider.

[VillageContractor]

I enjoyed working at a startup, but then I was young and a perm. Always wanted to go back at some point

Probably doesn't help you though

[northernladuk]

What's the current figure of startups that fail? 90%? I wonder how many of the 10% survive by not paying suppliers etc.

I remember at least two posts where the contractor took share options and rather predictably neither got a penny.

[VillageContractor]

I enjoyed working at a startup, but then I was young and a perm. Always wanted to go back at some point

Probably doesn't help you though

BTW I got made redundant from there after 10 months - that piece of information may be useful.

Got a nice payout though

[Eirikur]

Ask for a credit report from a credit rating agency like Dun & Bradstreet and ask the client for insight in their finances. The latter might be difficult, otherwise do what other companies do in business when there is a high risk for not getting paid, ask for part payment upfront.
But general advise is walk away from any start up and never ever work for one if friends or family are involved

[VectraMan]

I worked for a startup. Really interesting project, good small team of people, mostly contractors, and the guy in charge seemed to have real vision and said he had investors lined up. Started off WFH whilst he sorted out an office, which was fine, and my invoice for the first half-month was paid next day.

Then in the second month... some people need to purchase equipment, or a licence which he'd said was all fine but wasn't so forthcoming with the money and then started to be hard to get hold of. Then after having heard nothing for a while it all unravelled in no time. I invoiced for the month, but never received any money despite getting a CCJ. And then we found out (and this is an important lesson) that the guy in charge was disqualified from being a director.

Oh well.

I've mostly worked for small companies and prefer it that way, but at the end of the day money talks.

[vwdan]

Small, established, companies can be a lot of fun to work for.

A start up is like a one night stand in Ibiza - it's got the potential to be fun, but with a lot of risk.

[uk contractor]

Insist on weekly pay if your contracting otherwise avoid unless you can afford to lose some monthly pay & or go a few months deferring your salary to help with their cash flow & balance sheet!