5 ms·

Your blog post seems to focus on a dwelling feeling of hopelessness, uncertainty, financial insecurity, without a clear certainty of what to do next. With only

by jyu 19y ago

Your blog post seems to focus on a dwelling feeling of hopelessness, uncertainty, financial insecurity, without a clear certainty of what to do next. With only a couple hundred bucks and a burn rate of $400 (or 3 months at the most), you're really playing against the odds. I mean, I'm sure there are a lot of people interested in getting $60,000 besides your group. On the bright side, you have a bunch of ideas, and seem to have a willingness to push your limits. These qualities don't go away quickly. Here's some sage advice I got from one of my mentors: "A good opportunity != a good opportunity for you." Also, it's ok to not start a start up right away. Without knowing all the facts of your circumstance, I would suggest focusing on making your long-term situation better by getting your finances in order, and getting indispensable skills/experience by working at some job (depending on what skills you want to get) and hoarding your money. Spend your nights and weekends figuring out how to spot good opportunities for you, getting a team together, mentors, etc. Six months to a year from now, you should have $10k-15k and be ready to rock. Then you can quit and pursue a good opportunity, reduce unnecessary stress, and increase chances of success.

pepeto 19y ago
I generally think stepping back for a little bit is ok. After all, this is why I am not a banker like most of my friends around. I just feel that I have decent chances this time around and I am willing to take the extra. Once those 2 things I am betting on unwind, I will have time to relax and rethink. Thanx though, considered.
- tim2 19y ago
  Don't listen to the quitters. Your money situation sucks but there are much more limiting, harder to recover from factors that you could be up against, possibly in the near future. Maybe what you should look at now is what you have to lose. I've worked a day job before which gave me lots of time for a startup but that's not an easy find.
darose 19y ago
+1. I think you need to go back to work, lick your wounds and start again. You can't start a startup on no money. Firstly because you need to be able to support yourself until both a) you've created version 1 or your product/service, and b) you've started to get some users. (No investor will take you seriously until then.) And secondly, because the stress and distraction of your finances will interfere with your ability to succeed. Go back to work. Work on it on the side - eves and weekends. Save up some money - then leave the job and try again. Sucks? I know it does. (And yes, I know it's hard to make a lot of progress in your spare time.) I'm going through this exact thing right now. (And I live in expensive NYC too!) But that's the way it's gotta be. You don't have a windfall in the bank from a previous startup - or a rich daddy. Neither do I. And unfortunately for people like us, trying to launch a startup means a race against time to build something before the money runs out. Well, you've lost this heat of the race. (As did I.) That doesn't mean the race is over. Keep the dream alive on the side, and in a year take it full-time again. Hang in there - and good luck!

by jyu 19y ago

pepeto 19y ago

I generally think stepping back for a little bit is ok. After all, this is why I am not a banker like most of my friends around. I just feel that I have decent chances this time around and I am willing to take the extra. Once those 2 things I am betting on unwind, I will have time to relax and rethink. Thanx though, considered.

tim2 19y ago
Don't listen to the quitters. Your money situation sucks but there are much more limiting, harder to recover from factors that you could be up against, possibly in the near future. Maybe what you should look at now is what you have to lose. I've worked a day job before which gave me lots of time for a startup but that's not an easy find.

darose 19y ago

+1. I think you need to go back to work, lick your wounds and start again. You can't start a startup on no money. Firstly because you need to be able to support yourself until both a) you've created version 1 or your product/service, and b) you've started to get some users. (No investor will take you seriously until then.) And secondly, because the stress and distraction of your finances will interfere with your ability to succeed. Go back to work. Work on it on the side - eves and weekends. Save up some money - then leave the job and try again. Sucks? I know it does. (And yes, I know it's hard to make a lot of progress in your spare time.) I'm going through this exact thing right now. (And I live in expensive NYC too!) But that's the way it's gotta be. You don't have a windfall in the bank from a previous startup - or a rich daddy. Neither do I. And unfortunately for people like us, trying to launch a startup means a race against time to build something before the money runs out. Well, you've lost this heat of the race. (As did I.) That doesn't mean the race is over. Keep the dream alive on the side, and in a year take it full-time again. Hang in there - and good luck!