The $5 Million Decision: Why I Chose to Divest from Scale AI

On June 12, Alex announced a $30 billion acquisition by Zuck, resulting in college friends and former colleagues suddenly becoming wealthy with over $5 million each. Reflecting on this, the author, a former employee who left before vesting stock, recognizes the missed opportunity. Despite initially regretting their decision, they’ve grown to value life experiences over financial gain and embraced a philosophy of prioritizing meaningful work and personal development. Since resigning, the author took the Giving What We Can pledge, experienced financial challenges, and operated a small business with modest success. Despite a negative trend in finances and comparisons to wealthy peers, they feel content and free, owning over 40% of a profitable venture. Committed to their entrepreneurial journey, they aspire to elevate their business while learning from past choices and aiming for personal and professional growth, choosing to invest in themselves rather than returning to the startup world.

Source link