Anybody working with a start up company can relate to these points.

1. Ambiguous Roles - Anybody working with a start up will definitely have a tough time responding to an inquiry about his role. You could be a business developer then called upon to handle company books(P&L) or even be often summoned to handle external communications. Another thing is that, with the evolving nature of the company, you could be hauled to various departments that have absolutely nothing to do with your field.

2. Longer Hours- Its easier to do an 8-5 in a well established company than a start up. As an employee in a start up company, your boss might just saunter in around say, 5:30pm when you're already arranging your desk to leave for your house, to attend weekly service or to see a movie, and start holding meeting with you or simply just trying to tell you something without considering that it is well above your closing hour.

3.Guilt Tripping- Start up companies usually have their staff feeling like it's their individual responsibilities to make revenue: including cleaners, graphics designers, accountants etc. This is not to undermine the teamwork that leads to increase in profit, however it is much worse in start ups, as they are wont to putting employees on their toes and putting pressure on all workers under them.
4. Founders Personality Dictating Organizational Culture : May the angels be with you if you are quite unlucky enough to have an unagreeable boss! Going to work each day would be a sojourn through sulphuric hell. This is especially because you have no superior boss to report him to, or to seek transfer. You either resign the job or resign to fate. However, you might be fortunate enough to have a humane boss who would make your work easy and doable, he might even buy you lunch, take you out or give you extra cash when around.

5. Extra Work : The axiom "Reward for hard work is more no" is truest in a start up setting. If you're a graphics designer, then might indicate the need for an cartoonist, and God help you if you suggest that you could "quickly help with the urgent need since it's something you can do" then just admit that you just added to your job roles They might still ask you to see about getting them infographics, animations or web mastery. There you get yourself sinking in and being overwhelmed with work.

Add yours, guys
cc lalasticlala mynd44

Lolz...true though.

Well Op, start up bosses are really not having the best of times. Starting up a venture, especially when you bootstrap is a different story on its own. Start up bosses have a million things that run through their minds every second. That is actually why many of them are not fashionistas - thats the last thing that comes to their minds. With the picture of the desirable future they have already formed in their minds, they push themselves (as well as their employees) to work harder, faster, smarter, and longer than the established companies. It is not actually their fault. You may not understand unless you have been in their shoes.

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Smartjob1:
Well Op, start up bosses are really not having the best of times. Starting up a venture, especially when you bootstrap is a different story on its own. Start up bosses have a million things that run through their minds every second. That is actually why many of them are not fashionistas - thats the last thing that comes to their minds. With the picture of the desirable future they have already formed in their minds, they push themselves (as well as their employees) to work harder, faster, smarter, and longer than the established companies. It is not actually their fault. You may not understand unless you have been in their shoes.

You're very right. I actually feel their frustration suddenly pain at times