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Ask HN: What stops you from starting today?

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Re: Ask HN: What stops you from starting today?

#11

Post by vgurgov »

chime wrote: post #6

I hate you for asking me this because it is such an emotional issue for me. I've been asking myself the same question for over a year now. The answer has almost always been savings. I have a wife/house/car/loans and need at least $3000/month. The good thing is that I see the light at the end of the tunnel. July 2009, I thought I'd start in Feb 2010. Feb 2010, I thought I'd start in July 2010. Right now I'm aiming for…

Start part-time. Figure out how to reduce time you waste on your full-time job. Get some angel money - you will need some prototype for that though. Reduce your monthly spending and pay off loans first. Join early stage startup that is willing to pay some salary since the beginning. Just some obvious advices on top of my head.

OR

Maybe startup isnt for you? Thats just fine, its not for everyone and millions enjoy happy lives and families being employed. Once you admit this it may become less emotional for you and you might actually feel much better mentally!

I think its kind of problem for many readers here: HN pushes that mantra that every hacker have to start something himself.

Re: Ask HN: What stops you from starting today?

#12

Post by nkassis »

donaq wrote: post #5

Dependants and student debt.

Was going to say the same thing. Gotta keep a steady income to manage student debt. My wife is also working on a masters.

I'm still working on it at night, got a new idea this past month and working making it happen at home after work. Also got the company setup but other than that, I can't quit working the day job.

Re: Ask HN: What stops you from starting today?

#13

Post by robertg »

chime wrote: post #6

I hate you for asking me this because it is such an emotional issue for me. I've been asking myself the same question for over a year now. The answer has almost always been savings. I have a wife/house/car/loans and need at least $3000/month. The good thing is that I see the light at the end of the tunnel. July 2009, I thought I'd start in Feb 2010. Feb 2010, I thought I'd start in July 2010. Right now I'm aiming for…

I have the same issue. I just started my company part-time on the side and it has worked out so far. Things move a bit slower but you don't have to worry about funding or coming up with enough every month to pay for the house.

Re: Ask HN: What stops you from starting today?

#14

Post by vgurgov »

piers wrote: post #9

Simple. Not come up with the right idea yet. Whenever I do come up with something, I either find that someone has done something too similar, or I talk myself out of it.

Umm, So if someone has done something similar before - there is no reason to start?? Then I think pg can safely shut ALL YC companies and call it a day :) And call google and and ask them to shut down the company as yahoo was founded earlier. )))))

Re: Ask HN: What stops you from starting today?

#15

Post by robertg »

wcarss wrote: post #2

I have my finger in at least three project pies at once, and can't choose which would be right to follow. Then, school starts in 3 weeks. I have no money, and many expenses. There's so much that I feel I need to learn before I can do anything useful - I've never made anything big from scratch, and am only now reading about good program design. I should 'work on open source' first, or put in appreciable time at a larg…

School is what did it for me, my program was pretty rigorous and I didn't want to mortgage my future by letting my grades suffer. Plus, I was working full time anyway. I just waited until 2 months before I graduated, started my LLC and have been slowly working at it ever since. We're just about ready to ship our first product and I didn't even quit my job. My main suggestion, write down your ideas as you have them and keep them somewhere for later when you have more time.

Re: Ask HN: What stops you from starting today?

#16

Post by rradu »

I have to graduate college--I've committed myself fully to school. In the meantime, I try to learn as much as I can from personal projects, internships and interactions with those in the startup community.

I'll feel ready to do something big (and have enough knowledge to possibly succeed) in a couple of years.

Re: Ask HN: What stops you from starting today?

#17

Post by vgurgov »

hopeless wrote: post #8

If by "start" you mean "quit your job and start full-time" then I won't because I have an unemployed spouse and 2 young children (and my current salary doesn't facilitate any savings). Of course, nothing stops me from working it once the kids go to bed but it's frustrating, tiring and is taking a very very long time... and then lack of motivation and/or distractions are big problem.

It might be that startup is not for you. I'd suggest to stop reading HN(as it can be very dangerous for you mental happines-constant glory tales to founders) and find a way to increase your salary on f-t position. I dont know what are you doing but i think you can set goal of making 2-3x of you current salary. There are better resources to read to archive that goal

DISC: Above is just my imho, listen with caution, i dont know your story well enough to advice.

Re: Ask HN: What stops you from starting today?

#18

Post by vgurgov »

jwdunne wrote: post #7

Salford in Greater Manchester (UK) is the antithesis of startup hub :(

Buy one way ticket to SF

PS: I dont know why somebody downvoted this and dont really care about that. This was a case that changed lives for at least two friends of mine. I hope somebody might benefit from that. Its a question of like $500 for somebody in the UK. I fail to understand when ppl from well-developed countries complain for such small issues. Read what it takes from somebody from india china or pakistan to get to where you are right now and get how PRIVILEGED and blessed are you !

Re: Ask HN: What stops you from starting today?

#19

Post by vgurgov »

nkassis wrote: post #12
donaq wrote: post #5

Dependants and student debt.

Was going to say the same thing. Gotta keep a steady income to manage student debt. My wife is also working on a masters. I'm still working on it at night, got a new idea this past month and working making it happen at home after work. Also got the company setup but other than that, I can't quit working the day job.

I know student debt sucks. (( Try to pay it off as fast as you can. Set a goal of paying it of in 1 yr

Re: Ask HN: What stops you from starting today?

#20

Post by piers »

vgurgov wrote: post #14
piers wrote: post #9

Simple. Not come up with the right idea yet. Whenever I do come up with something, I either find that someone has done something too similar, or I talk myself out of it.

Umm, So if someone has done something similar before - there is no reason to start?? Then I think pg can safely shut ALL YC companies and call it a day :) And call google and and ask them to shut down the company as yahoo was founded earlier. )))))

Very true.
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