If you're doing all the work and it's painfully obvious that things aren't working, you might be exploited.

Having different work ethic expectations can strain co-founder relationships, especially in the demanding environment of a startup.

Evaluate whether you have a seat at the decision-making table; if business leaders are making all the decisions without your input, it may indicate exploitation.

In the startup world, working long hours is often necessary; there's no substitute for hard work, even if you also work smart.

Consider whether your business needs your full attention to grow. Startups thrive on momentum, and delays can mean missed opportunities. If your business could grow faster or perform better with your full-time commitment, it's worth considering the leap.

Early employees should receive more equity than those who join later because they take on greater risks and work harder in a chaotic startup environment.

Your co-founders should be better than you or at least feel like equals; otherwise, they become proxy early employees that can't scale.

If you're only achieving one percent weekly growth, it indicates that you haven't figured out your business model yet, which may not be a good sign for a startup with billion-dollar potential.

Most startups are not generous enough with employee equity, and you should demand fair treatment in terms of compensation.