[fuzzfactor]

It can require a certain multiple of the dedication & focus normally excercised by casual employees. More energy too.

>Surely the answer isn't "The founder must be financially independent and have savings", "The Founder resigns to a life of semi-homelessness and poverty"

Well, that's not the only two possibilities, just two of the extremes, so not the complete answer. Most will fall somewhere in between.

I would avoid IP issues by bringing productive technology to employers rather than taking it away, with outside efforts separated by a distant tangent at the closest.

Independence involves a lot more leaps than only financial, and any aspect can be a gamble.

You might want to have great confidence in your wagering ability, based on a realisitc foundation.