> Small businesses are the backbone of the American economy. And Mr. Graham is absolutely right to encourage young people to take risks early in life, to join s

> Small businesses are the backbone of the American economy. And Mr. Graham is absolutely right to encourage young people to take risks early in life, to join small business startups with potentially limitless upside while they have nothing to lose – no children, no mortgage, no significant other Important to recognize that while 'startups' are typically 'small business' not all 'small business' are the types of startups that Paul (and the OP) are referring to. Most 'small business' are not angel, vc or even friends and family funded (at least with f&f not to any large 'lose money for years with runway' extent). They are businesses that people start and operate on a shoestring that they have to get right or they go out of business. And when they go out of business they don't land at some other 'startup' and aren't heralded as having their ticket punched and presented with great opportunities (like happens with people who fail in a way with a YC 'startup'). > Naturally, every young software programmer worth a damn forms a startup. Because that's what Mr. Graham's company, Y Combinator, does. They fund startups with young software programmers This is another annoying thing about YC and HN. This idea that anyone that is good is working at a startup and not at a 'traditional' company I mean who would work (if they were good) at (insert legacy company that has been around for 100 or even 25 years filled with old timers)? What's ironic is that Paul has actually burned out (from what I can tell and sure I could be wrong) from the startup ecosystem. He is doing writing and programming he is not running a company or trying to start a company and so on (he would say this is why you have to do your best work when you are young). But the truth is in traditional business there are plenty of 'older dudes' (older than Paul) that getup and enjoy running a business and they don't need the money and they don't need the aggravation but they enjoy business.