Being startup employee number one

Early employees at startups can gain significant financial rewards and rapid career development if a company succeeds, as illustrated by former staff at Wise, Qonto, Wolt, GoCardless, and Gousto, but they also assume substantial risk, stress, and uncertainty for far less equity and recognition than founders. Their roles often involve handling a wide range of improvised tasks, from operations and customer service to product, marketing, and expansion, providing accelerated learning but limited structure, mentorship, and clear career boundaries. As startups scale, early employees must adapt to formal processes and specialized hires, with some leaving when their learning opportunities diminish or when they wish to found their own companies. Experienced first employees advise candidates to assess the long-term commitment, prioritize trust in founders and the team, seek ownership and learning opportunities, and avoid joining solely for the prospect of financial gain.

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