[tpae]

Yes. I agree with you, but I think team dynamics are more complicated than that.

It's very difficult to find decent and/or experienced co-founder(s). Given you are lucky enough to find them, and expect them to work for free. Given the rigors of the start-up process, when should they expect to give up and move to something new?

I've worked on a project for 3 years without pay. I filed bankruptcy. My partner had a divorce. We had traction and revenue, but not enough to support ourselves. We ended up closing down.

Getting into YC is tough. It also gives you an indication that something is going right. YC also gives you enough padding to make sure you are not distracted from harsh realities of life.

[pedalpete]

That all sounds aweful tpae, and I'm sorry to hear you're having such a rough go of it.

Everybody always says start-ups are hard, and there is no guarantee of success. In fact, most people say the there is almost a guarantee of failure. What keeps us going is the unfortunate promise of something better.

I hope things improve for you.