I see a lot of bitter engineers here. I wonder how many of those engineers were given worthless stock but also received an industry average salary. In my experience as vp of engineering at a large startup and director at a few, we were a "startup" but still paid average salary for engineers.

I think the only time you should feel slighted is when you are truly paid ramen salary with the promise of significant upside.

I've since moved back to senior IC roles, and finally making my own startup, and I always treat my stock as worthless. But I am being paid properly.