When I switched 9 months ago, I knew the code was a bit of a mess (I didn't know how bad though). Part of me wanting to take the job was to be the hero and come in and be awesome. The problem was that it turns out that everyone already knew what the problem was. The company just isn't interested in wholesale changes. Only very, very slow incremental changes. From the perspective of the owner, I totally get it. But as a self-described technologist, I am constantly WTFing. If I was just using it as a platform to get a new job, I might be just as well suited in the old one.

I guess the biggest benefit to sticking around is being groomed for CTO in 5ish years which wouldn't do me very well for jumping to a new gig if the benefit was to stay.