American tech startup equates late pay with future success, cites Facebook and Google’s early days
A Reddit user claimed that during an interview, the founder of an American startup failed to make a positive first impression due to his remarks.
The journey of joining a startup is often sold as an exciting leap, but one candidate's experience quickly turned into a masterclass in red flags after an interview with the founder. A Redditor opened up about the issues in post-interview feedback.

“Follow up to an insane interview I had with a startup company - the audacity of these people,” the Reddit user wrote. The individual posted a text conversation with the company’s HR.
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The text message shows the candidate rejecting a job offer. When asked why, the Redditor shared about spotting “numerous objective red flags,” adding that it signalled “disorganisation and chaos." The candidate also recalled the founder’s remarks about late payment to employees. In a reply, the company defended that by citing the early days of tech giants Facebook and Google.
Take a look at the post:
How did social media react?
An individual wrote, “These types of workplaces are full of excuses and justifications as though they've never worked elsewhere. Whenever I tried to give feedback, even when they asked me to do illegal things, they always tried to make me seem like I was overreacting. So why do they ask?”
Another remarked, “This is typical. The people at the top of a dysfunctional startup have committed to defending the bad executive and business behaviour. They will defend it.”
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A third said, " The payroll answer is a huge red flag. It sounds like they are still having ongoing funding issues.” The OP responded, “They are. What’s funnier is that the founder, in the first interview, mind you, also said that he’s been making this app for 9 years—and it’s been a struggle, but now everything is in place, and now they’ll start actually making money! I wish I recorded the interview because it was truly nonstop red flags.”
(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)
ABOUT THE AUTHORTrisha SenguptaTrisha Sengupta works as Chief Content Producer at Hindustan Times with over six years of experience in the digital newsroom. Known for her ability to decode the internet’s most talked-about moments, she specialises in high-engagement storytelling that bridges the gap between viral trends and traditional journalism. Throughout her tenure, Trisha has focused on the intersection of technology, finance, and human emotion. She frequently covers personal finance and real estate struggles in hubs like Gurgaon, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad, while also documenting the unique challenges of the NRI experience. Her work often highlights the movements and philosophies of global newsmakers and personalities like Elon Musk, Mukesh Ambani, Nikhil Kamath, Dubai crown prince, and MrBeast. From reporting on Amazon or Meta layoffs and startup culture to the emergence of AI-driven platforms like Grok and xAI, she provides a grounded and empathetic perspective on the stories shaping our world. When not decoding the internet, Trisha is likely offline: lost in a book, exploring a historical ruin, or navigating the world as a solo traveler. She balances her fast-paced career with family time and a healthy dose of curiosity, currently trading her "human" sources for silicon ones as she masters AI to future-proof her storytelling.Read More

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