Startup culture has been on the rise for a while now, and it’s showing no signs of slowing down. People would rather work 80 hours a week instead of 40 hours if it means they get to work for themselves, or in a much smaller environment where they feel more valued. If you’ve ever worked at a startup company, or a larger corporation, you might know why.

So here are my personal, top five reasons for forsaking the big brass, and working at a startup, where the pay is lower and the work can get overwhelming:

1) Transparency of Operation

At a startup, you’re privy to all sorts of information, whether or not it concerns you. Within a month of working at a startup, you know the ins, outs and plans of action for the company. At a larger corporation, this is unlikely to happen unless you’re in a managerial position.

2) Everyone Pulls Their Weight

When you have a team of less than 10 people, each individual is given very specific tasks, and it becomes increasingly obvious when someone’s lagging behind. Unlike larger firms, where a good percentage of workers are under-performing, a startup allows no room for it.

3) Your Skills and Talents are Recognized

This is basic management of employees. If you have certain aptitudes that the business can benefit from, you’re likely to be shuffled around into a role that somehow utilizes those talents, rather than being forced to spend all of your time in a role that doesn’t recognize you. This leads to a much higher chance of job fulfillment.

4) It’s Challenging

This can go either way. Personally, I hate when two days are alike task wise. I love being challenged differently every day, because it keeps the job fresh, and myself alert. A lot of people love to come in to work each day and just drone away at one task for the entire day. That isn’t, and will never be me.

5) Everyone Benefits from Growth

At a huge corporation with different products and multiple branches, it’s increasingly likely that you’ll be forced to work extra hours to achieve vacuous goals beyond your comprehension. At a startup, it’s your dream too. Everyone, including you, will benefit when the company becomes huge. You’d be lucky to even get a raise at a larger firm.

I'll support startups and smaller businesses for life, even if it's harder on me. This was the first blog I wrote for the startup I'm currently with.