Tech startups are alluring. They provide a sense of belonging for doers that want to leave their mark on the world, a "lottery ticket" for good-life dreamers and a front-row ticket to the theater of innovation for thrill seekers.

But startups are also freighted with risk. Because 90% of startups fail (and of those who "succeed," few do so on the level of a Facebook or even Crashlytics), joining an early stage company is like placing a bet — your time (lots of it) versus the threats (lots of them) a young business faces.

To read the full, original article click on this link: Be Your Own VC: How to Vet a Startup Before You Join