Passion vs. Wealth in Company Selection

In evaluating mid to later-stage companies, the speaker noticed a trend where individuals were driven more by the desire for financial gain through IPOs rather than passion for the company's technology or problem-solving. The speaker reflected on the allure of established companies like Stripe, acknowledging their potential for financial success but emphasizing the lack of opportunity to contribute significantly to building something new. The preference was towards smaller, less established companies where there is a chance to be part of the core team developing a product from scratch. Amidst various conversations with different companies, uncertainty about the strength of the team and lack of domain knowledge often led to indecision. Ultimately, the only company that aligned with the speaker's criteria at the time was Laine.