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Ask HN: FAANG to Founder
Hi HN! I'd like to get some perspective from the community here.
I'm currently working at a FAANG company making a very comfortable income (500k+ total) with good work life balance and I think good career prospects. I've wanted to do a startup since 10+ years ago, but have not done it for various reasons. Now I have enough financial cushion that I don't have to worry about money for a while and it feels like the right time to take the leap.
The problem is now I'm not sure if I want to. Maybe it's getting comfortable in a cushy job that pays well. Maybe it's me getting older and less ambitious. Or I just had a fanciful view of what startup life was like earlier on. Realizing that startup life is going to be a lot of work and stress and if all goes well a long slog, is making me doubt myself.
For those of you that have gone from a high paying tech job to startup founder, what made you do it? Do you regret making the leap?
- sharemywin 6y agoYou might want to talk to a lawyer about a non-compete. https://www.geekwire.com/2020/amazon-sues-former-aws-marketing-vp-brian-hall-accepts-google-cloud-job/ https://www.geekwire.com/2020/amazon-sues-former-aws-marketi...
- throwaway-22449 6y agoFortunately I'm in CA where non-competes aren't enforceable.
- sharemywin 6y agoTo me startups/new businesses are all or nothing propositions. You either commit it all or you'll have doubts. So, now do you have an idea that's worth risking everything you have on?
- throwaway-22449 6y agoI have a idea I believe in (but of course startups are risky) and have some angel investors with interest, but discussions haven't gone very far yet. The risk, at least financially I think is pretty minimal. The initial cost wouldn't be very high and I'd get some investors before proceeding too far into it. The cost is mostly time / opportunity cost and life style I think.