You speak truth python. YC is a good idea when you have your idea, and need some cash/guidance to get started. But once you have customers, even if your not "ramen profitable", you are beyond YC.
Thats hard to say. No startup is ever "beyond" the opportunity of demoing in front of a room of well connected, experienced silicon valley VCs which is one of the perks of YC. Some of us don't live in places where there are VCs who get it.
YC has connections, but in the end its up to you to make your startup successful. With your experience, you should be able to bootstrap yourself into a profitable software business. But this "Italian restaurant" style of a software company doesnt interest many VCs. Most VCs are looking for the next big thing.