[dpritchett]

> I think YC supports the companies that shoot for the moon, but people aren't willing to take the risk and say no to acquisitions of $20-$100m because that is the short term business model of today and people just want to take their $5m and show off.

A more charitable take: A founder with a few grand in the bank is doing a high wire act without a safety net. A respected repeat founder who's already banked a few million can let go of most concerns for safety and family and focus on changing the world or self-actualization or whatever you want to call it.

[startupfounder]

This is the mindset I am talking about, "I just need a few million as a pillow and then I can create something great!"

A founder with a few grand in the bank who can create something great is the founder who doesn't depend on money to make them great! They don't need to look for investors to support them and give them an allowance.

Look at Richard Branson, Steve Jobs, etc... Money is not the dependent factor, they hack the system for the simple fact that they want to hack the system! Free phone calls, driving a van records across boarders, etc.

[dpritchett]

Citing billionaire succes stories leans a bit heavily on survivorship bias. As an individual who's not yet financially independent the expected return on trying to be Patrick McKenzie or even Joshua Schachter is much higher than the expected return on trying to be Bill Gates.

[philwelch]

Elon Musk only did Tesla and SpaceX after becoming a billionaire.

[calydon]

I agree with you completely but you're omitting that Steve & Steve and Richard, and almost all the mythical entrepreneurial successes had found a way to fire their boss and landlord (in some form) so that they could focus on what they do best. Everyone's situation is different so if making an early YC exit is your method (or plan) to achieve this then it shouldn't be gainsayed.