Ask HN: How do I move from a cushy corporate job to a startup?

[kylekampy]

Hi HN!

I'm a couple years out of college but have only worked for large tech companies. My long term ambition is to build a startup of my own someday (yes, I'm following along with How to Start a Startup). Leaving my cushy corporate job and joining a startup seems like the next logical step in that journey.

My biggest enemy has always been my confidence. I always have that little voice in my head telling me I'm not smart enough to succeed at it, or that I'll burn out quickly, etc. Maybe it's all just part of that HN effect where I compare myself to the front page subconsciously. I don't know.

Any tips or pieces of advice on proceeding? I'm going to be updating my resume and personal site in the next day or so before I begin applying, but I'm feeling super nervous about it so I wanted to hear more from the people who have done it and what there experience was like.

Thanks for any constructive advice and commentary you may have. It's greatly appreciated.

[cblock811]

Is your startup something you can build as a side project while you work? You can do a lot of testing and validation without putting yourself at risk if this is an option. I'm pretty new in the startup scene but am happy to bounce ideas with you if you like. My contact info is in my profile.

[kylekampy]

There currently isn't a startup idea I have. There's some random ideas I've thought about pursuing, but I'm still waiting for something that really inspires me to dive in. I have one small side project with ~11,000 users, but it's entirely free and monetization of it is quite tricky. It's a donation model now, which many would say has failed. $23 in three years.

So I'm still looking for an idea I love. I figured in the meantime it makes sense to orient myself in a startup. That way I can figure out the way things truly are and convince myself that building one myself is a possibility for me.

Thanks for your response.

[cblock811]

Well you are already getting some good experience from the sound of things. :)