hmm, I just got a gig where we want to cut a salary/equity deal (we're checking each other out for mutual fit via hourly at first). I will be in no way a founder, but it appears to me that my job will be in significant part to get the code into a state where it's in a state for handover for acquisition.
I am also in the 'worked for a number of startups, been paid out non-life changing amounts more than once, and have never tried being a founder' category. What I meant to say is that founders take more risk and get more equity than early employees, and that is how it should be.
Once a company has enough revenue (or investment money) to hire employees, much of the risk has already been removed. A product is either prototyped and tested or partially built. Discussions with potential customers have already taken place. Initial marketing strategies and plans have been made. And founders often do that without getting paid or even a guarantee that they will ever get paid.
They also end up with 10x-20x more equity than an early employee who gets paid a normal salary.
So if equity in a company is highly motivating, and you don't mind working on an exciting idea knowing that you may never see any money, then founding a company might be a good fit.
Or you can make job decisions now that will help you learn to be a founder in the future.
Founding a company is a roller coaster of joy and despair, so it's not for everyone. I haven't tried it yet, but a side project of mine has felt like that roller coaster. I can only imagine that doing it full-time would be the same, except magnified.
So I don't think it's quite that clear cut.