996 Startup Culture

Let’s be real— every founder is different, some prefer work-life-balance others believe that it is critical to be onsite & work as quickly as possible. I’ve seen & worked in both of these environments. The new trend in startupland has been coined “996.”

But where did this whole 996 grind even start?? This work schedule—9 AM to 9 PM, six days a week—blew up in the early 2000s in China during the rapid rise of the tech industry. The intent? To keep up with skyrocketing demand and cutthroat competition. Many major corporations, like Alibaba and ByteDance, embraced it as an unofficial standard, pushing employees to work long hours in the name of growth and innovation.

Fast forward to today, the debate around six days is alive and well. Some argue that it’s a surefire way to lead to burn out, harming both health and well-being. Others believe it’s the key to success & growth—especially in the startup world, where moving fast can make or break a company.

At the end of the day, whether you choose to continue your 9-5 or fully immerse yourself in the grind, it’s up to you. Here’s my perspective as someone who’s been in this type of culture—multiple times.

I’ve done the six-day workweeks, the long nights, and the all-in mentality at a couple of startups. I got a decent amount of equity (one of which is still growing successfully), and I learned more about building an organization—and myself—than I ever could have in a traditional role.

Why We Do It?

You Love it

Not in a cultish way. Like real love & passion for the product or mission where you come together with like-minded individuals & enjoy the camaraderie. No matter the background, this group of individuals is your ride or die & you’re making things happen & having fun doing it. I’ve worked at seed to series A startups & Series C to public tech companies. Without a doubt, the earlier the stage the more exciting & exhilarating the work, because I got to work on harder on things with a more direct impact.

Intensity

They say you’re not growing if you don’t feel the pain - aka no pain no gain. And this is true. In the early stages, there are no playbooks or blueprints & you’re building something that hasn’t been done before. It’s a bit of a mental rollercoaster - you’re building the plane while you’re flying. You make massive strides & then you encounter significant setbacks. But I would rather have it this way than be bored, stagnant and/or not learning.

Impact/Ownership

In a startup, you don’t just do a job—you own a piece of it. Your work has a direct impact on the company’s success (or failure), and that kind of responsibility pushes you to level up fast. Unlike in big corporations, where your contributions might get lost in layers of bureaucracy, here, you can actually see the results of your effort. That’s a powerful feeling. The more you work the more potential upside is accelerated.

Escape Velocity (Potentially)

Not the main reason to do it, but let’s be real—it’s a possibility. If you play your cards right, work hard, and get in early enough with meaningful equity, there’s a shot at life-changing financial upside. Is it guaranteed? Nope. But the potential is there, and for some, that’s enough to make the grind worth it.

Future Founder

If you want to start your own thing someday, there’s no better training ground than an early-stage startup. You see what works, what doesn’t work, and how to navigate the chaos firsthand. You get a front-row seat to what it takes to build something from nothing—and that’s an education no MBA program can replicate.

Did I Face Any Burnout?

In short, no. Did I need to make sacrifices? Absolutely. I was in the right time & place in my life. I was paid the standard amount, learning, challenging myself & excited about the work I was doing. To me, those are the non-negotiables of joining a startup.

That’s the reality of an intense work culture. It’s not for everyone, but for those who thrive in it, the rewards—both personal and professional—can be massive. The key is knowing what you’re signing up for and making sure it aligns with what you want.

Would I do it again? For the right time & opportunity. Would I recommend it? Depends on what you’re looking for. But one thing’s for sure—if you choose to go all in, be all in. Otherwise, what’s the point?

Is Cursor a Blessing or a Curse for the Modern SWE?

As a recruiter in tech, specifically for AI startups, and as a “nontechnical person”, I have to make sure to stay up to date with the trends. Some of my founder partners are all for AI code editors like Cursor; others simply don’t approve. And they have valid reasons for it. So, I’m here to break it down in the simplest way.

First, let’s take a look at some of the top AI code editors & understand how they work. These are platforms that are essentially considered to be a “smart assistant” for a software engineer, primarily helping coders write, fix & improve their code to work more productively. Cursor, Copilot & Windsurf (and others) solve a lot of problems & reduce a lot of errors. Cursor, Copilot, and Windsurf are AI-powered tools that help software engineers write and improve code more efficiently. GitHub Copilot works inside popular coding programs like VS Code and suggests code as developers type. Cursor is built specifically for AI-assisted coding, offering deeper integration with AI. Windsurf is another similar tool that helps automate coding tasks.

Side note: Please don’t use any code editor during an interview process unless the company explicitly says it’s okay. It may seem obvious to most folks, but we’ve seen many cases where candidates use these during a live coding interview, and they always get caught. Not great for optics or your candidacy.

There are two main discourses on the topic of AI code editors, specifically in my startup tech community. And there are excellent reasons for both:

The Argument in Favor

There is a large group of founders we work with who strongly encourage the use of AI-assisted tools. However, they ensure that candidates have a strong fundamental knowledge of coding and discourage AI assistance during technical assessments in the interview process. This perspective often comes from founders seeking more experienced developers.

One globally recognized leader in AI, Andrew Ng, founder of DeepLearning.AI, recently mentioned in his blog The Batch: “As coding becomes easier, more people should code, not fewer!” Whether we use AI assistance or not, there is substantial fear-mongering around AI taking over jobs—including those of software engineers. So, it’s reassuring to hear a perspective from a reputable expert.

Unlike some founders, Ng encourages developers to leverage AI-assisted coding tools. He further states, “One of the most important skills in the future will be the ability to tell a computer exactly what you want, so it can do that for you. Coding (or getting AI to code for you) is the best way to do that.”

The Counterargument

Especially if you’re just starting your engineering career, I know this may seem counterintuitive, but you’re better off avoiding AI assistance. You want to build as much as possible on your own to develop a strong foundational understanding of the code base. There comes a point where you need to move beyond the initial learning phase to become an efficient software developer who can effectively use tools like Cursor.

A handful of startup founders are working on deep and sophisticated technology that requires multiple layers of abstraction. Relying on a code editor too soon can prevent an engineer from developing a deeper understanding. Tools like Cursor can also create dependency, which may hinder long-term growth.

A recently coined term, “vibe coding,” refers to developers working on a codebase without fully understanding what they’re doing. That’s how far removed and unintentional coding can become when over-relying on these tools. Hey, but if you can build your MVP this way, why not? That said, it can only take you so far.

Final Verdict

If you’re a new grad or a junior engineer, get the foundations down & strengthen your competency as much as possible. If you’re an experienced engineer, learn how to optimize for it.

Lastly, these should be used as assistants, not replacements.

What do you think? Are AI code editors making developers better, or are they crutches that could do more harm than good?