The fact that the ownership is capturing a huge multiple of your effort and you could go somewhere else to capture more of the money you create?
Let's invert it - why should I just make my boss more money forever while I get the same cut?
Let's invert it - why should I just make my boss more money forever while I get the same cut?
It sounds like you're assuming OP is getting a small cut. What if his salary is generous and there's a profit sharing bonus pool every year?
The idea that in every career one needs to be continuously promoted to new positions doesn't make a whole lot of sense in my opinion.
In fact, individual contributor salaries were public and constituted ~80% of the company's entire annual budget. Rent, utilities and all management salaries were contained in the remaining 20%.
In my experience I have had 22 jobs in my life, half software, half not - every time I asked for a raise and even got a good one it was never more than 9% in a specific position, in moving positions I have received over 100% multiple times.
There was no such thing as profit sharing, I was seriously underpaid many times. There was 401k matching at best, and anywhere that offered stock basically went bust or used means to ensure they never paid it.
Ultimately I would love to stay somewhere that paid me well and treated me well, but getting both for a steady period is hard!