Many businesses will sell consulting services and a product, transitioning away from consulting if the product supplies regular income and is more time-effective to invest in.
That's still consulting on the side. It's just that now you have the whole business doing it. It brings in income but is ultimately just a distraction, because you don't want to be doing it for years.
I'm not sure if you've consulted on the side with a team that generates income. You get a team that can build and work together.
While helping customers solve problems in their industry, you are effectively paid to do market research to find the gaps and find a product need that the existing customers are willing to start paying for immediately.
The challenge can be is maintaining some sort of balance, but there is plenty to learn from in terms of market and product needs from consulting. I am a better product developer because of it.
?? Why not? If you can make money and help good people, what's the X-factor? Obviously I like investing in products, but I see it more as a way to keep utilization high without busywork.
Given, YC might not like it, but I bet they like the business going under a lot less.
I mean, if that's what you want to do, by all means. I'm not going to tell you how to live your life.
But it's not a startup.
> I bet they like the business going under a lot less.
You would be wrong. They would much rather see you shut down a company that fails to find traction and come up with a new idea and new team and get fresh funding than they would you tying yourself up for 10+ years in what they would term a lifestyle business. They didn't give you that money to sit on, they gave it to you to change the world.