The Salary Reality for Founders

Our community recently had an open discussion about this topic, and a clear theme emerged: founder salaries are typically well below market rates, especially in the early stages. Many founders adopt what one community member called the "avashatha philosophy" (the philosophy of struggle) - taking just enough to cover basic needs while pouring everything else back into the business.

A practical formula that garnered support was "cost of living + 20%" when there's sufficient runway. The extra 20% creates a small buffer that founders can save for inevitable down periods when they might need to go without salaries completely.

For most founders, this typically translates to about 1/4 of what they were earning before launching their startup - a significant financial sacrifice that reflects the investment they're making in their company's future.