[brianfitz]

Those who drink alcohol shouldn't become alcoholics. However, it's a risk. It's easy to say that a founder shouldn't go into debt to keep their dream afloat and protect their employees, but the reality of it is very hard. If it weren't a risk, pg wouldn't have written about it. Going back to the original question, a founder reaching into their own pocket might not involve acquiring debt, but rather cutting their own salary. When faced with making a payroll, the founder(s) are likely simply not to pay themselves to get through a cash squeeze.