Ask HN: Is it possible to make FAANG salaries without working there?

The gap between FAANG and non-FAANG salaries is quite substantial. For example, a Staff Engineer at an avg startup might get $250k base salary, in a HCOL area and maybe a 10-20% bonus.

But a FAANG Staff Engineer will get a similar base, and then $1mil in stock for 4 years.

-- Are there people outside of FAANG and Big Banks / HFT firms making those kinds of monies?

-- if So who are they? and what do they do?