Having a paycheck and being an entrepreneur is not an either/or proposition. There are things in the middle. You can find a well-financed co-founder and get a

Having a paycheck and being an entrepreneur is not an either/or proposition. There are things in the middle. You can find a well-financed co-founder and get a commitment for a paycheck for a fixed length of time (1-2 years). You will probably receive less equity in this situation, but you can still get enough equity to feel like a true co-founder along with enough of a paycheck to not be stressed about making ends meet.