I recently had a conversation with an aspiring entrepreneur. He wanted my thoughts on a company he was considering starting in a space I’m familiar with. During our chat, I learned that he’d been an early employee at a tech start-up and stayed for several years. That company recently sold for a few billion dollars. His equity as one of the first few employees gave him a financial windfall. Because he was on board so early, he worked closely with the CEO for several years, and they still talk regularly. The CEO encouraged him to start a new company and offered to back him once he settles on an idea.

I love to hear stories like this. An early employee is part of a company that turns out to be a massive win. He gets a significant financial reward. Seeing his former CEO’s journey firsthand makes him want to take the same journey. And he already has the backing of his former CEO, who knows his drive and worth ethic.

These are the kind of stories that, when repeated, lead to a city having a thriving start-up ecosystem. We need more stories like this!