depends. Your runway can usually be extended quite a lot by hiring (dramatically cheaper) inexperienced people and training. This is what I did; I paid peopl

depends. Your runway can usually be extended quite a lot by hiring (dramatically cheaper) inexperienced people and training. This is what I did; I paid people at a level where I could pay them out of what I made as a consultant. Obviously, this meant I had to start with people who had no experience. But that's okay. I trained, and I think I have excellent people now. (well, they leave every two years or so and I have to start over, but if you can keep two part timers, you can usually keep one pretty good person and one newbie) On the other hand... I'm not sure you can call me a startup any more. Of course, if you have a 6 month runway due to something other than running out of money (Say, for example, it's a market where the first mover takes all, and you have 6 months until someone else takes it.) you have something of a point. But even then, I think reality intrudes. The thing is, most startups I've seen /can't/ attract top talent. The job is stressful and unstable and usually pays poorly when you consider the hours. Sure, you can get good people as founders, but a good founder is /very different/ from a good Engineer. Some people have both those skillsets, but it is extremely rare. (well, really, in an Engineering startup, the founder _must_ be at least an adequate engineer, or you are sunk. But the founder must also be an adequate business guy, or else you are also sunk. If the founder is the best Engineer at the company, well, you are probably doing something wrong. If you trade away the 'business guy' qualities, you can usually get a /much better/ Engineer for the same money. Hell, if I don't think I can make you a better Engineer than I am in two years, I won't hire you, no matter how cheap you are.) So, while optimally, yeah, you are working with god-like mental athletes who can work 16 hours a day for 6 months straight and need no training, the reality of the matter is that usually you are stuck with young, inexperienced but enthusiastic and intelligent individuals. I'd argue that those people (intelligent, inexperienced and enthusiastic) are the sort who will get the most out of a good training program.