Working at a big company often makes you a small part of a large machine, which limits your learning and slows your pace of growth compared to creating your own startup where you are responsible for everything.

Big companies excel at retaining employees by offering signing bonuses and regular stock option grants, making it difficult for young people to leave and pursue their own ventures. Working at a big tech company can be a trap because it often leads to increased spending on lifestyle, such as nicer apartments and vacations, rather than gaining valuable experience for starting your own company.

If you enter a big company with clear goals, like saving money or gaining specific experience, you can benefit from the experience without falling into the trap of staying longer than necessary due to financial incentives.

You don't need to work at a big tech company if you already have a problem to solve, savings, or a co-founder; you should just start building your startup instead.

Many successful Y Combinator companies have been funded without having a prestigious tech company on their resumes, proving that it's not a requirement for becoming a successful startup founder.