A Reddit user recently shared a deeply personal dilemma that has resonated with many professionals in India’s tech community. At 28, after seven years in software engineering, he finds himself standing at a crossroads: chase a lucrative job switch worth up to ₹1.4 crore CTC or finally commit to validating his startup ideas.
His current reality is complex, marked by a toxic work environment, looming layoff risks, and a four-month wait to vest his RSUs.
The Situation in Reddit User’s Words
The user explains that he has always wanted to build something of his own, “whether it fails or succeeds.” His first prototype didn’t work out, but he already has a second idea lined up. The immediate challenge is timing. If he remains in his current role for four more months, he will vest his one-year RSUs. But the sword of layoffs hangs overhead, and he admits there is no real job security.
At the same time, he wonders if he should instead channel all his energy into grinding for a higher-paying role, which could give him a compensation boost of over 30 percent.
Financial Picture He Shared
The engineer is not starting from scratch. His disclosed assets include:
- Current CTC: ₹90 lakh (₹54L base + ₹36L RSUs per year)
- Potential new CTC: ₹1.2-1.4 crore if he switches jobs
- Savings: ₹32 lakh (₹20L in stocks + ₹12L in fixed deposits)
- Gold holdings: ₹30 lakh
- ESOPs: ₹50 lakh in a company preparing for IPO
- Household income: Spouse contributes ₹1.5 lakh per month
This financial base provides him with some cushion, though he has not detailed his monthly burn rate or expenses.
Two Roads Before Him
Option 1: The High-CTC Job Switch
The first path is to dedicate the next four months to interview prep, switch into a package worth ₹1.2–1.4 crore, and work there for roughly a year before resigning to pursue entrepreneurship.
- Upside: Immediate increase in income and more financial stability before taking the plunge.
- Downside: He forfeits his near-term RSU vesting and delays full-time startup focus by at least a year. The demands of a new high-pressure role may also leave little bandwidth for side projects.
Option 2: The Founder’s Window
The second path is to stay in his current job long enough to vest RSUs and, in parallel, use the next four months to validate his new startup idea. If layoffs strike earlier, he would naturally be pushed into full-time founder mode.
- Upside: Preserves the RSU milestone if employment holds and creates a time-boxed sprint to pressure-test the idea.
- Downside: The toxic environment and looming team change may sap the focus required for rigorous validation. The layoff risk means the plan could collapse prematurely.
Why His Story Resonates?
This Reddit post captures a tension many professionals feel: the choice between financial maximization and entrepreneurial conviction. It is not a reckless “quit today” fantasy but a tightly framed choice between banking a one-year financial buffer and buying clarity on a startup idea.
His savings, assets, and spouse’s income provide him some room, but the true decision hinges on what he values most in this short four-month window: money or momentum.
Postponing The Dream?
Both options are logical based on the facts he shared. A switch to a ₹1.4 crore role secures higher income but postpones his dream. Staying put gives him a chance to test ideas under pressure but carries the risk of layoffs and mental exhaustion.
His own words, though, reveal a leaning: he has “always wanted to build something,” regardless of success or failure. With some financial cushion already in place, the next four months may decide whether he chooses the safe climb up the salary ladder or the uncertain but deeply personal pursuit of founding something of his own.
Also Read: Sanjeev Bikhchandani: Father of Indian Startups and Naukri.com
