Chose the startup with less money over the big name and I still don't know if that was smart

Turned down the recognizable-name offer for a 40-person startup paying about 20% less. Six months in — I've shipped more, broken more, and learned more than I think I would have sitting in a huge org's onboarding pipeline. But the equity is probably worth nothing and my parents still ask when I'm going to get a 'real' job. Don't know if I made the smart call or just a story I'll tell myself either way.