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Poll: How many HN readers are working on a Startup?

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Re: Poll: How many HN readers are working on a Startup?

#41

Post by cperciva »

earl wrote: post #39
cperciva wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

1 have rich parents (not kidding) I'd broaden that category to "have tolerant parents". My parents aren't rich, but they have a basement which would be empty if I wasn't living here.

Yes, but it's not just living expenses -- I was thinking along the lines of can your parents float you $25K for startup costs such as equipment and working capital? How about $100K? Is it a big deal if they don't get it back, ie is this their retirement, or is just kind of a bummer? And so forth... The startup I was thinking of needed the money in order to establish business relationships -- the business they are in…

I think when you get into the "parents give you $150k" range, the parents in question fall more into the category of angel investors than anything else.

Re: Poll: How many HN readers are working on a Startup?

#45

Post by metallic_cloud »

I'm currently trying to get an indy games company off the ground but I can't take the risk of going full time at the moment. Work 8 hours as a programmer during the day then do about 5 hours at night on my game. Been going for about 5 months now, probly another 4 to go.

Re: Poll: How many HN readers are working on a Startup?

#46

Post by pageman »

_b8r0 wrote: post #40
earl wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There seem to be 4 routes: 1 have rich parents (not kidding) 2 work part time until you can get angel investment 3 a pre-angel incubator ala YC 4 live somewhere really cheap and use savings In the two startups I've worked for, I personally saw routes 1 and 3.

Can I add another route? 5 Using an existing profitable business to incubate a startup within. The consulting business I run funds the development of a number of skunkworks projects, and it looks like two of them will see light in their own right.

yup. we're incubating 2-3 projects this way right now :)

Re: Poll: How many HN readers are working on a Startup?

#47

Post by pageman »

mahmud wrote: post #21
raffi wrote: post #13

I'm full-time on my startup. I'm in my second (or third?) sprinting phase where I'm spending most of my waking hours working. I can't say this is healthy but I'm having fun in some sick way. http://www.afterthedeadline.com is me.

I work 16 hours a day, and the other 8 I am on hold on the phone or waiting for bureaucrats and various types of desk-jockeys in several timezones to wake up and answer my emails or pick the phone. Being a transnational startup is really hard :-P

I now have to agree with you on that one hehehe :)

Re: Poll: How many HN readers are working on a Startup?

#49

Post by matthewking »

mlLK wrote: post #20

I'm curious as to how those individuals working on a startup full-time are able to support themselves without receiving any compensation. Are you simply a student going to school and this is a non-issue? Or are you working form some sort of financial cushion you saved up from your previous job? More bluntly, how do you pay for rent and food?

I was able to sign up my existing contracting clients to my new product in a sort of paid private beta. That covers the business expenses 4-5 times over while I finish the product and can really push with sales, and other than that I live at home with the parents - gives me a nice runway, and I'll probably give my parents some profit share / equity for their support :)

Re: Poll: How many HN readers are working on a Startup?

#50

Post by intranation »

mlLK wrote: post #20

I'm curious as to how those individuals working on a startup full-time are able to support themselves without receiving any compensation. Are you simply a student going to school and this is a non-issue? Or are you working form some sort of financial cushion you saved up from your previous job? More bluntly, how do you pay for rent and food?

I don't think it's accurate to assume that all start ups have absolutely no money--my fulltime job came about due to part time work with friends after hours--when they raised just enough cash to pay salaries I came aboard. I'd still consider it a start up.
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