I'd love to have a full-time job to support myself while I build my music startup, but most of my potential employers in the area know that I am working on my own company as well. I completed a code bootcamp last year and have loved learning and becoming a better developer over the last year, so I'd love to work somewhere that I can continue learning, but I am also committed to taking a proper swing with my own startup. Do I look for jobs and let potential employers know I am working on my own startup? Perhaps shop for a short term contract? Or should I just try to find some investment and go full tilt at my startup? I have access to enough funding to get our MVP built so that I can demo and pitch potential investors. I am nearing the bottom of my savings, but don't have a family to support. I don't mind living on the bare minimum for a bit while I build this thing.
Would you invest in someone who hasn't had a job in X amount of months/years? Would you invest in someone who burned through all their cash? What would they do with your money? Burn through that too?
If you look like you aren't hirable then how could you ever possibly run a company?
It's not some badge of honor or right of passage. When people tell you that you need to not take a full-time job when doing a startup because investors won't think you're really serious - it's a lie.
Having a full-time job is 100% completely possible while working on a startup. It just may mean some later nights.
In fact, you should do as much for free as possible. Validate your startup. Make sure people want it. Promote it. Get interested users signed up so you have a mailing list. Even build out an MVP. You can do this during your nights and weekends.
Then when you go to an investor in the future (if you even need to) you can say, "I'm brining all this to the table and I was able to do it under this budget: $0"
You can feed yourself, your family, and not go crazy...Because I bet you're starting to get a bit stressed now that you're nearing the end of your savings.
I'm familiar with this feeling. I've been there. I burned through my money and had a baby on the way. Believe me I know this scenario inside and out. I got a job quick. Guess what? I've had more traction on my startup than I did when I was working on it 100% all day. Do not let anyone tell you that you need to be self-destructive to run your own business. In fact, that's a good way to have a self-destructive business as well.
Answered 10 years ago
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