> - There are technical people more experienced than you, interested in mentoring your growth. I used to joke as a hiring manager that you could tell quickly in an interview how long someone had been in the startup pit because they had learned no new concepts (only new technology) since they started.

It's hard to over-state that. When joining company (start-up or not), I always make sure I am would not be the smartest person in the company (having made that mistake once and deeply regretted it).