[TheSkeptic]

By the way, I see from your past Ask HN submissions that in the past ~60 days, you've been thinking aboout "an opportunity in creating an ad network for a niche market" and looking for ways to accept payments for iPhone apps you've developed. Since your business here is apparently unrelated to these, I'll add lesson #3: if you're going to start a business, you must be 100% focused on that business. When you keep taking your eyes off the road, you're more than likely going to crash.

[calebhicks]

Thanks for your posts.

The ad network idea started when my cofounder here first got his other job.

You're definitely right though. I appreciate your insight in both of your posts re: the opportunity cost of running a startup at my age. I have a degree and could get a decent job. Sometimes it's good to see reminders of that option, since I've always leaned towards starting my own business.

[lsc]

bootstrapping usually means both getting a good job working for someone else and running your own business. Getting to the point where you can pay your own rent from your bootstrapped business is a huge milestone; one that will take serious effort to achieve.