And that is exactly why I left my last company. As person #4 I was offered 1% over four years, an extremely below-market-rate salary, and no benefits. I left after exactly one year and didn't bother to exercise my 0.25%. People #2 and #3 left a little while after that. Person #1 / CEO / CTO / Maker-Of-All-Decisions is still there, somehow, still funded by monthly donations from family members and now crowdfunding.