[idrios]

It's not shelving your dreams, it's training for them. Learn business practices from the company you join, get exposed to new technologies and new sets of problems, learn from the senior and junior devs around you, and meet like-minded people who can help you start your company when you try again.

[eloff]

I like your glass half-full mindset. You're right, of course, I could frame it that way and specifically seek out roles that will help me gain knowledge and experience in the areas that I need them. Also I may meet people, encounter opportunities, etc during the journey.

[jrumbut]

The other glass half full aspect here is that you'll be able to establish a network of people who are or will be CIOs when it's time to launch.

Then you'll have the explaining problem partially solved. "I don't understand it either but I know to listen when ol' @eloff talks about Postgres performance."

[demadog]

Yes this is the way - networks get really powerful in the mid career years (35-50)