Startup People Spend

Startup People Spend

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Startup People Spend
Startup People Spend
The Comp Divide: First-Time vs. Repeat Founders

The Comp Divide: First-Time vs. Repeat Founders

What seasoned founders know about compensation — and first-timers learn the hard way.

Cris Cafiero's avatar
Cris Cafiero
Jun 12, 2025
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Startup People Spend
Startup People Spend
The Comp Divide: First-Time vs. Repeat Founders
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The Comp Divide: First-Time vs. Repeat Founders

They had to stop hiring just to fix the mess they created.

A 3x founder told me this after startup #1.

They thought if the mission was strong, talent would follow. That early hires would “get it” (see “missionaries vs. mercenaries”). That people would trade cash for cause. Six months later, they were bleeding…

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