How I Got Exploited at My First Startup

Being exploited by a startup is almost a rite of passage. I don’t think I can even call this a cautionary tale, because of what I took out of the experience. Subscribe to Jacob’s Tech Tavern for free to get ludicrously in-depth articles on iOS, Swift, tech, & indie projects in your inbox every week. Full subscribers unlock Quick Hacks, my advanced tips series, and enjoy my long-form articles 3 weeks before anyone else. Gather ‘round, friends. This one has been a long time coming. Grab a beer, we’ve got time 🍺. This is a cautionary tale—one which left me scarred, jaded, and wiser. I hope that by reading this story, I can protect some of you from 11 months of pain. The year was 2019. My migration from academic overachiever to professional underachiever was an overwhelming success, as a slightly under-levelled junior at a big consultancy shop. But I couldn’t shake the feeling I was destined for great things. I was engulfed by the daydreams many 24-year-olds experience when they sto ... Read full article.