[simonw]

Starting a rapid growth, venture-backed startup (which is the route YC tends to lead towards) may be incompatible with other jobs, but there are plenty of forms of startup or entrepreneurship that are. As the article mentioned, GitHub was started in the founders' spare time while they were employed elsewhere. Plenty of startups bootstrap themselves through consulting - it slows you down, but it also reduces risk which may be appropriate for some people (people with families to support for example). 37signals were a web consultancy when they launched Basecamp.

[nlh]

Very good points - thanks!

This helps me clarify my thinking a bit: I think the 37signals approach is actually a good one. The key there is that the team stays together, works together, and evolves together - even if the actual project of the day isn't directly related to the company's "core."

I guess what I'm concerned about are the situations where the founders' attentions are split. "Sorry guys, I can't make this big pitch meeting because my other job needs me" or "Yeah I'd love to be there for the big push before our demo, but I have to get up early tomorrow for a meeting at my other job", etc. That's the stuff that's potentially very difficult.

[prostoalex]

Starting a product != launching a startup.

37 Signals guys didn't need to build a brand new company while they were building a brand new product. GitHub delayed organizational build-up for as long as possible. Scaling an org is a pretty daunting task http://www.avc.com/a_vc/2013/08/the-similarities-between-bui...