our best engineer quit because we couldn't match a big tech offer

they got offered almost double what we pay. plus stock and benefits we can't compete with.

gave two weeks notice.

i tried to counter. offered more equity, more flexibility, more interesting projects. they appreciated

it but the money gap was too big.

they felt bad leaving. i felt bad losing them. nobody did anything wrong, the numbers just don't

work when you're a small SaaS competing with Google-level comp.

now i'm doing work they used to handle while trying to hire a replacement. the replacement

won't be as good because anyone at that level can get a better offer somewhere else.

the honest truth is we'll probably hire someone more junior and train them up. which means

months of reduced productivity while they learn.

bootstrap problems. we can't pay market rate for senior talent so we get people who are good

but not great, or we get great people and lose them when big tech comes calling.

no real solution. just venting.