I've seen quite a few startups with "normal" (say, 60 hours or less per week) hours. That being said, the people I know who put in 100+ hours per week on their

I've seen quite a few startups with "normal" (say, 60 hours or less per week) hours. That being said, the people I know who put in 100+ hours per week on their startup also have been more successful (long-lived company, multiple millions in revenue per year, etc.). I think it's possible to have a startup that promotes a sustainable lifestyle, but it's all about costs and benefits. If you work 100+ hours per week, you might miss out on seeing your kids grow up (or having any in the first place). Working ~50 hours instead might make your business grow more slowly but might allow you to enjoy other (more important, for some) aspects of life. As a side note: some of the investors I've talked to also encourage and prefer a more sustainable lifestyle in a startup. That way you'll be alive in the long run. :) I don't want to name any names or give explicit examples here, but happy to discuss you're making a difficult decision.