[wccrawford]

I think the 'peanuts' slide is an especially good point. Many people here seem to think that a startup is a fast-track to success, but it's not fast at all. It's a lot of work and sacrifice for years.

Don't get me wrong... That time has some valuable lessons that will help you constantly for the rest of your life. But it's not easy. If you go into it with your eyes open, you shouldn't regret it.

[localhost3000]

toughest part is dealing with sig. other who'd really like to have a nice meal every once in awhile and wonders aloud when she learns of your friends/peers who make six figures in "real jobs"... "Maybe you should go to law school?" <-- have you heard that one? cringe

[lolizbak]

been lucky, didn't hear it much!

my girlfriend has been very supportive. the only thing she asked, is that we still continue to travel/backpack, at least once a year - which I of course "granted" her (while she's granting me with the rent .... :)

[patrickod]

maybe that's another reason that the mean age for founders is quite low. I mean if you're older and have dependents it's not the best time to throw your salary out the window and go it alone.

[zeemonkee]

The mean age for founders in the US is 39:

http://blog.checkadvantage.com/2011/02/09/baby-boomers-job-m...

[patrickod]

I think the mean age for YC founders is ~26 from what I gather.

[nkassis]

That's because I don't think older entrepreneur usually would go for a YC like program. A lot of them have worked long enough to have savings to bootstrap and connections. At least that's my hypothesis.

[patrickod]

That may be so. I see the real value of YC as being mentorship from the team and the connections that follow rather than just funding and a stamp of approval for connections. Then again I haven't been in the business as long as most older entrepreneurs so I'll withhold judgement.

[klbarry]

Not for the type of start-up we talk about on HN.

[zeemonkee]

Why, is the risk somehow greater ?

[klbarry]

We mostly talk about internet software start-ups. Founders can be succesful with only coding experience and little capital, while most other industries require a roster of contacts, experience, capital and etc. Not that these don't help online software start-ups, but they are not as important.

[webwright]

There are two factors that can allow you to throw your salary out the window. Being young and having no expenses/obligations and being a bit older and having some accumulated wealth.

But I think you're right. MOST younger folks have no obligations. Relatively few older folks have actually managed to keep their burn rate low and accumulate wealth.

[lolizbak]

Totally on board. I quit a well paid job in New York two years ago, and didn't earn a dime since. But I would make that decision again in a heartbeat :)

[fmavituna]

It depends on what kind of startup you are doing, there are many startups out there that don't need to find 1M people to start making money, some of them just sell stuff and if you are a 1 man shop you might be easily start making good money after 1 year

[abrenzel]

That was a good point in the presentation I thought, but I objected on the slide that suggested you wouldn't learn anything from it either (slide 28). How could you not learn something from the experience, even if you fail hardcore?