> What if somebody jots down an idea on a napkin, spends the next few months of nights and weekends creating a first version, gets ramen profitable, quits their

> What if somebody jots down an idea on a napkin, spends the next few months of nights and weekends creating a first version, gets ramen profitable, quits their day job, hires a dozen workers, and sells to Google for $20 million. Then they've got -- at the very least -- $20mm and experience running a 12-person company. This includes paying salaries, making sure the books are kept properly, and all the other jazz that comes with running a company. These are experiences you likely don't get if your business is selling ads on a blog. > Looking back, was it not a startup until they quit their day job? Of course not, it was a startup the day they put pen to napkin and started coding. No, it was a startup business they day they started accepting money for a service. Before that it was just someone's project. > Not saying there aren't a ton of poorly run startups led by founders who aren't truly committed to them. But let them call themselves and their "projects" whatever they want. How about "projects"? Are you accepting money and providing a service? Congratulations, you've got a business. This can be by selling ads on your new video game blog, accepting VC to fund your crack team, or selling subscriptions to your SaaS product. You can be dedicated enough to devote everything to your business, or you can be content with keeping a day job and running your thing on the side. Some folks aim for millions, some folks are fine with a little boost to their income. Some folks learn how to manage teams and hustle, some don't.