[jrochkind1]

And can be enough if you don't need large quantities of investment capital. If you don't _need_ it, but _want_ it to get fabulously wealthy... well, "lifestyle business" is not the path to that, by definition.

It's almost like the interests of those who want to get fabulously wealthy -- whether founders or investors -- become misaligned with the interests of the users, even steeper/faster than when you "just" have a "lifestyle business".

[jjeaff]

The thing is, founders can get fabulously wealthy with a lifestyle business or at least very wealthy, but it might take longer. But all the established money seeking rent parked at VC firms can't get a cut if you don't play ball with them.

[jrochkind1]

Yeah, wealthy enough if not billionaire, true.

> But all the established money seeking rent parked at VC firms can't get a cut if you don't play ball with them.

OK, but why does a founder care about that? Either they think their business model can't get them to a sustainable lifestyle business without external capital investment... or they want to get more-than-lifestyle-business wealthy, right?

[jjeaff]

I'm sure that's what they think. I don't know if the data really indicates that going to VC route will make you richer. It could certainly make you more publicly successful.

[sirsinsalot]

Millions, even tens of millions, for founders isn't unheard of at all for small "lifestyle" businesses.

Not VC billions, but fuck you money is certainly doable.

[jrochkind1]

I don't know if a couple million is "fuck you" money in 2023 (enough to never work again and eventually retire while living a fairly luxurious lifestyle?), but point taken.

[sirsinsalot]

If you can't say "fuck you" with a couple million in the bank, tax paid, in 2023 then you're living WAY outside your means.

[jrochkind1]

I can say "fuck you" with no money at all, since I can still talk for free!

How much do you need to take a, say, $130K income for the rest of your life? (Which is still not really enough to live at a wealthy luxury standard). Depends on how old you are and how long you'll live, as well as anticipated rates of investment return. But it's almost definitely more than 2 million.

https://www.thekickassentrepreneur.com/never-have-to-work-ag...

[jjeaff]

FU money has nothing to do with living a wealthy lifestyle. It's having all your basic needs taken care of so you don't have to do things you don't want to do to earn money.

See John Goodman in the Big Lebowski for a full definition.