The intent of startups in the Hacker News context is not mere profitability. I can start selling fruit from a bike part time on the side and make a profit but

The intent of startups in the Hacker News context is not mere profitability. I can start selling fruit from a bike part time on the side and make a profit but I don't think many here will count that as a startup. The intent of startups is to make it big. To make it big, 100% effort is a requirement. I am not discounting people who can do 200% (two jobs) but if you want to do a fulltime job plus a startup plus give time to your family, and do all three adequately, you'd have to be superman who needs no sleep. For the rest of us mortals with families that we want to live with and not merely exist with, two full time jobs, one of which is a startup is not possible. We might do it transitionally, but not more than a few months.