26M living in western europe. I got around 75k euro saved up and earn approx 110-115k euro doing analytics in big tech.
I am getting comfortable in my work and not growing much. I am really interested in saving up 200k by 29-30 and taking a shot at creating my own startup. Worst case scenario I will learn a lot and may come back as analytics lead in whatever company with some managerial/entrepreneurial experience. Maybe this would even help me to come back straight into analytics manager role.
My logic is that I would have enough cash saved up not to worry, would have enough real life experience to navigate uncertainty, still young enough to work long hours and take risks, but old enough to be able to jump back into career if i fail.
Am i wrong thinking this is generally best timing career-wise to take a shot?
You have to believe in the idea more than anything.
You need skin in the game or a good ESOP deal.
You need to be prepared to work more hours than are healthy
You need to be prepared for the idea to fail or for the company to pivot
You have to trust your co-founders
You need to understand the revenue model and understand the path to growth
You need to have very thick skin
You need to balance foolish optimism and catastrophe preventing pragmatism
You need to make decisions quickly, a lot of them.
You need to find pockets to sleep and refresh your body
Building a startup is rejecting the status quo. It is hard because economic, political, cultural and social forces are set up to force you down safer paths.
Startups are ugly thrashing caterpillars struggling to weave protective cocoons to transform them into beautiful butterflies that attract bloated beasts to eat them.
Believe in the change you want to create