Rant: took a $9,000 pay cut for a 'growth role' in Austin and 7 months later I can't tell if I got played or if I played myself

Mia Ellis · 2026-10-09T04:10:03.761234+00:00

Left a stable job answering tickets for a mid-size company to join a startup as their first IT hire. Took the pay cut because they promised a title bump and 'real ownership' at the 6 month mark. Six months came and went. I asked about the title. Got told 'let's revisit after the next funding round.' That was last week. Here's the debate I keep having with myself: one side says growth roles are how you get ahead, the money catches up, stop complaining. Other side says a promise with no date on it is just a nice sentence, and I gave up $750 a month in take-home pay for a maybe. I did learn a ton. I run the whole thing now, network, vendors, the backup system nobody else wanted to touch. But I also do it for less than the guy before me did, and he had half the job. So which is it? Did I make a smart bet that just needs more time, or is 'growth role' just a nicer way of saying 'we can't pay you'? Want to hear from folks who took the cut, not just the ones who say never do it.

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Rant: took a $9,000 pay cut for a 'growth role' in Austin and 7 months later I can't tell if I got played or if I played myself | Career Development - SMM Buzz