A lot of people think starting your own company is a risky proposition. Sounds like it, right? Oooh... could "blow up". Sounds dangerous. Images of shrapnel.
Maybe I'm naive and oblivious... but I'm really not that worried, like, at all.
I'm working on Path 101 fulltime and the only income I get now is from my adjunct teaching at Fordham, which is sort of like my checking account's equivalent of flapping its arms as it falls off a cliff. Yet, somehow, I know it's all going to work out. I'm confident we'll get our angel round raised... people are lining up now... but on the chance we don't get all of it, we'll make do with what we have. We'll take on some consulting if we have to. It's not ideal, but there's a fallback plan, and frankly, the fallback plans aren't so bad.
Maybe I'll need to start liquidating to fund this. I already know... first it's the 401k, than the apartment, and then the car. Yes, the car is the last to go. Not ideal, but at least I've faced the reality of the situation. I can deal with it.
And if this whole thing doesn't work out... if we can't get something compelling built or can't grow the user base or can't monetize, and we have to close up shop. Then what? I'll be upset, no doubt, and disappointed, but... I'll survive to die another day. I'll just get a job somewhere. I believe I'm employable and have no fear that I'll wind up homeless on the street.
So what's really the big risk? I mean, even in the worst case scenario, I'll learn something... I'll learn a lot, actually. It will build character and I'll meet a lot of great people along the way... and build a great relationship with Alex, too (or kill each other... either way).
Frankly, if you think about what I could gain or lose by taking this on vs. not taking it on, I think I've got a hell of a lot more to lose by not doing it.