Working for others is a great way to support yourself while you build the framework of skills and routines that can support a business.
Freelancing or building your own businesses is more exhausting than having a job, so if you're feeling like a job might provide some relief - at least apply and try to get some interviews. You might be happier.
Thanks. I think this is what I would advise anyone else. My judgment is surely clouded by fear. My worry is having a job will take away my time for hacking on novel stuff. But perhaps I should consider that the cost of capital.
We don't often take our own advice for others because it is easy to think we're different.
Security of income from a job and and ability to explore and build something in your time outside working hours might be what you need. A lot of the companies we all think of as successes started as side jobs at first, it is more than just possible.
~~~
As an aside, if you believe in the numbers game/batters odds "failedagain" as a username is to be expected - just don't be hard on yourself, learn what works and what doesn't and go forward honestly based on what you learned.
By my read you’re gonna lose your mind if you get a corporate job. Keep hacking and make something sick. I’d focus on getting some income so you and your team can eat. Then build from there.
Do you really need a mil and a lab? If so maybe an accelerator. SOSV has Hax for example.
It sounds to me like you had two successes out of four attempts. That's actually an unusually high success rate!
If I'm reading it right, your two "failures" (scare quotes because I'd count the 2nd company as a half success) are the VC backed ones. VC backed companies are a particular kind of business -- maybe that's not the style that works best for you? But that's not the only (or necessarily the best, depending) approach to starting a business.
I realize I'm a diva about VC. I definitely prefer capital upfront and a mission to shoot for the moon, but I have to admit that I've only demonstrated success when bootstrapping and running customer dev from the start.
Further thoughts on your point, I seem to have an expectation that I deserve free money to run a science experiment with low chance of big result, with little proof. This isn't how VC works in practice, so if I want funding, I should have built the case for it, or start now.
If it was SaaS, I'd advise bootstrapping product dev with consulting, but I don't see a path to do that with a robotics SDK. The only bootstrapping strategy I can think of is like robotics-for-coders courseware. Not a bad strategy, but that won't keep the lights on.
>I seem to have an expectation that I deserve free money
That would be some of the most expensive money of all, and most subject to loss.
>to run a science experiment
That's the entire thing my business was based on, using tonnes of electronics and instrumentation it was very hardware-oriented.
That was my life's work beforehand anyway, I knew I could make money the same old way if I didn't come up with enough new stuff to be able to monetize a solid 1% of it.
I still wouldn't use "other peoples' money" aka capital because the people who wanted to put up money, it was their retirement funds and stuff.
You can't be a capitalist without capital so I've always been a mere entrepreneur and used my own money.
I was wondering what the hardware was but looks like you've got robot-dependent software, if you're not competeing in hardware, and your SDK applies to a robot from only one company, talk to them.
It your technology applies to more than one company, talk to them all.
I used to bring bread to my team, but now I'm driving the team broke. These are married adults.
But this is unexpected and impactful encouragement. Thank you. The pressure to save the day is overwhelming, but this is helping me get clarity and motivation for the mission.
Working for others is a great way to support yourself while you build the framework of skills and routines that can support a business.
Freelancing or building your own businesses is more exhausting than having a job, so if you're feeling like a job might provide some relief - at least apply and try to get some interviews. You might be happier.
Don't be too hard on yourself in the meantime.
Thanks. I think this is what I would advise anyone else. My judgment is surely clouded by fear. My worry is having a job will take away my time for hacking on novel stuff. But perhaps I should consider that the cost of capital.
We don't often take our own advice for others because it is easy to think we're different.
Security of income from a job and and ability to explore and build something in your time outside working hours might be what you need. A lot of the companies we all think of as successes started as side jobs at first, it is more than just possible.
~~~
As an aside, if you believe in the numbers game/batters odds "failedagain" as a username is to be expected - just don't be hard on yourself, learn what works and what doesn't and go forward honestly based on what you learned.
By my read you’re gonna lose your mind if you get a corporate job. Keep hacking and make something sick. I’d focus on getting some income so you and your team can eat. Then build from there.
Do you really need a mil and a lab? If so maybe an accelerator. SOSV has Hax for example.
Fair assessment. I will try to spin up my agency to get my people some cash flow and bridge the gap to where an accelerator becomes a good fit.
It sounds to me like you had two successes out of four attempts. That's actually an unusually high success rate!
If I'm reading it right, your two "failures" (scare quotes because I'd count the 2nd company as a half success) are the VC backed ones. VC backed companies are a particular kind of business -- maybe that's not the style that works best for you? But that's not the only (or necessarily the best, depending) approach to starting a business.
Encouraging words, well received.
I realize I'm a diva about VC. I definitely prefer capital upfront and a mission to shoot for the moon, but I have to admit that I've only demonstrated success when bootstrapping and running customer dev from the start.
Further thoughts on your point, I seem to have an expectation that I deserve free money to run a science experiment with low chance of big result, with little proof. This isn't how VC works in practice, so if I want funding, I should have built the case for it, or start now.
If it was SaaS, I'd advise bootstrapping product dev with consulting, but I don't see a path to do that with a robotics SDK. The only bootstrapping strategy I can think of is like robotics-for-coders courseware. Not a bad strategy, but that won't keep the lights on.
>I seem to have an expectation that I deserve free money
That would be some of the most expensive money of all, and most subject to loss.
>to run a science experiment
That's the entire thing my business was based on, using tonnes of electronics and instrumentation it was very hardware-oriented.
That was my life's work beforehand anyway, I knew I could make money the same old way if I didn't come up with enough new stuff to be able to monetize a solid 1% of it.
I still wouldn't use "other peoples' money" aka capital because the people who wanted to put up money, it was their retirement funds and stuff.
You can't be a capitalist without capital so I've always been a mere entrepreneur and used my own money.
I was wondering what the hardware was but looks like you've got robot-dependent software, if you're not competeing in hardware, and your SDK applies to a robot from only one company, talk to them.
It your technology applies to more than one company, talk to them all.
Don’t be silly.
Did anyone die?
Did you cheat or deceive anyone?
If you fed yourself and others and did not run afoul of any condemnable laws, YOURE DOING GREAT!!!
ARE YOU F-ING WITH IS ALL RIGHT NOW?
YOU HAVE A TALENT!
Keep shit rolling!
Things fail all the time. Keep failing forward. You definitely need a side kick or competent action based partners.
If you’re getting yourself and other people paid
YOU’RE THE WINNER!
I used to bring bread to my team, but now I'm driving the team broke. These are married adults.
But this is unexpected and impactful encouragement. Thank you. The pressure to save the day is overwhelming, but this is helping me get clarity and motivation for the mission.
[dead]