As someone's done both startup & bigtech life, I think everyone should go corporate FIRST before starting a company and no, it’s not because you’ll gain transferable skills. In fact, I think corporate experience can sometimes be a net negative for founders. You learn how to operate in a giant machine, not how to hustle and solve ambiguous problems with little to no resources. The real reason? Money 💰💰💰 Corporate life can give you the financial foundation and personal runway to quit your job without it feeling terrifying. For me, my time at LinkedIn gave me exactly that. By the time I took the leap into founding, I wasn’t worried about how to pay rent or whether I could survive a failed startup attempt. You could also get this by joining a fast-growing startup, where you’ll build relevant skills at the same time. BUT the risk is higher as most of your wealth will be tied up in equity that’s illiquid. Unlike big tech where you can cash out stock as you go. TAKEAWAY: Before you start a company, set yourself up financially. A longer runway means less desperation and more room to make the right decisions as a founder. PS me in 2d animated form but with money all around, for the algo. View original post on LinkedIn.