I've been working at a Fortune 500 company for the past 10 years, and while it's been relatively low stress and offers a good work-life balance, I've never received a promotion. Recently, my company announced that we wouldn't be getting merit increases anymore, which has really made me reconsider my situation. I've been applying for new jobs for about a year now, initially aiming for higher positions to finally get a promotion and a pay increase. However, I've had little success and have now shifted my focus to roles at my current level, but even those are offering less than my current salary of $165k. I recently made it to the final rounds for a potential new job that pays $150k, which is a $15k pay cut. It's with a Series C startup that just secured growth investment, and I do like the company and the industry. I'm torn about whether to take the leap, especially since the main reason I started looking was to earn more money. I’m weighing the risks of staying in a stable but stagnant position against the potential for quicker advancement at a startup. I’ve been stuck for so long, and I wonder if the opportunity for growth at the startup is worth the pay cut. What would you do in my situation?