[moomooskycow]

fully agree with pretty much everything you're saying. the wrong job can be pretty hellish and should be avoided with extreme prejudice. but i think there are options between total avoidance and complete immersion that achieve reasonable compromise between earnings and fulfillment.

part-time consulting work seems like a pretty solid way to make good money and maintain lots of free time, but you've done it and it didn't stick. what drawbacks outweighed the pay/flexibility benefits in your experience?

in my experience working for smaller companies and startups is also way better than working for big companies. i understand why people work for big companies and all the perks they provide (sometimes i just browse openai job postings and read all the compensation sections), but you're more flexible and have more impact at small companies and that's huge. especially for entrepreneurs: more flexibility means it's easier to build stuff in your free time. and more impact means it's easier to creatively express yourself on a larger scale by leveraging company resources.

the other point i want to make here though is: if you've been solopreneuring for a decade and you've built multiple revenue-generating businesses on your own already, i would not bet against that track record. if you've got runway to last you a while, maybe just maximize your free time and your wellness. you'll probably start something new.