Academia -> Startup. I'm scared
I am currently a staff scientist at a research institute in the Midwest. The pay isn't great, but it isn't too bad either. The position is quite cushy and stable with flexible hours and the ability to work remotely from home from time to time. I haven't really thought about leaving until very recently.
Recently, I was approached by a hiring manager working at a biotech startup via LinkedIn. I jumped on a virtual call and after multiple rounds of interview, I eventually got the job offer to work at the biotech startup in a more senior role. The pay is a 70% pay bump from my current salary with the prospect of career progression and a chance to break into industry, so I signed the job offer.
However, now I'm feeling quite stressed, anxious, and regretful about my decision since academia has been all I know for the past 13 years in the research field, and I'm quite worried about the volatility in the biotech startup world in general. Did I make the right decision to jump ship from a cushy staff scientist position in academia into industry?