Advice from a veteran that left the military to join a startup.

After four years at West Point, two deployments, and five years in the Army, I decided to leave the military. I wanted control over where I lived and what I did. While deciding what was next for me professionally, I had the idea to join a startup company. The lack of structure and relaxed work environment combined with talented people that wanted to work exceptionally hard really appealed to me. I wanted to be part of a team that inspired me to do my best, and to assist in the creation of a product and company that aimed to improve people’s lives. So, I quickly joined a startup with a mission I believed in and learned some great (and tough) lessons along the way.

1. Understand the culture of the company. When I left the military, I thought I knew nothing about the civilian world, let alone startups. I felt as if I were back in the fourth grade on the kickball field wanting to be picked for a team. However, it’s a two-way street. You need to find a company that suits you. This is especially true in a small and dynamic environment such as a startup. Since it is statistically proven that 9 out of 10 startups fail, it is imperative that you ask hard questions when interviewing, and take time to understand the company and its founders. In the end, your job satisfaction and your ability to put food on the table will depend on it.
2. Understand your value. It is true that many startups are strapped for cash and are focused on raising money in order to bring on new talent. However, that doesn’t mean you need to accept a job offer that will only allow you to afford top ramen. If a startup wants to hire you, you should be offered a competitive compensation package. It may be your first civilian job but it is certainly NOT your first job. The military has prepared you ten-folds in terms of responsibility and organization, and armed you with an impressive work ethic that will benefit the startup you are joining in multitude of ways. If you get a low offer, counter it, and wait for a response. If the offer is still too low for you, do not be afraid to say no. In the military, we are taught to never let a mission fail. By saying no to a low offer, you are not failing to complete the mission. Instead, you are ensuring that you will be committed a 100% to whatever team you decide to join.
3. Negotiate and sign a contract before you start work. You should always negotiate fair terms for equity and salary-based compensation before you start work for a startup. You may be eager to start right away and believe that once the founders/company see your exceptional work that they will want to compensate you accordingly. However, startup founders are in a constant juggling act of scaling their company, bringing on talent, and conserving cash on hand. When it comes down to it, most will gladly take your work for free. Be patient, find the best cultural fit for you, and negotiate the hard stuff up front. If you feel fairly compensated, you will feel great about your job and happily work long and hard hours with a team you admire and a company you believe in.

If you are a military veteran and are interested in working for a startup, shoot me an email. I would love to hear about your story and help in any way that I can.

What questions would you ask a startup founder before accepting a job offer?