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"Maed It," Tried to "Retire" and Failed: Taking ?s on my Start Up Experience

I think I told my story here once upon a time...if not quick...
Amber Indirect Expression
  11/13/17
why did time off suck?
razzle-dazzle lavender temple halford
  11/13/17
It was awesome at first in terms of spending time with kids,...
Amber Indirect Expression
  11/13/17
so get a hobby? dont you think it's a bit sad that you need...
razzle-dazzle lavender temple halford
  11/13/17
...
submissive place of business water buffalo
  11/13/17
I don't disagree, but I didn't make nearly enough to do &quo...
Amber Indirect Expression
  11/13/17
I hear you. that $5-10M mark is a very weird point in ter...
infuriating jew
  11/13/17
Ten million is not enough to start your own company?
Charismatic Pea-brained Gaping
  11/13/17
It definitely is and I've toyed with a few ideas and also in...
Amber Indirect Expression
  11/13/17
sounds like you need richer, non wagecuck friends
razzle-dazzle lavender temple halford
  11/13/17
I do. But I'll be the first to admit I don't belong in or l...
Amber Indirect Expression
  11/13/17
How much money did you make
Charismatic Pea-brained Gaping
  11/13/17
Nowhere near fuck you money....more like "please respec...
Amber Indirect Expression
  11/13/17
That's an assload of fucking money dude congrats
Charismatic Pea-brained Gaping
  11/13/17
lmao at 10M not being fuck you money, i also copped dat equi...
plum tanning salon
  11/13/17
"i've told a LOT of people fuck you" you're liv...
mentally impaired doctorate mad cow disease
  11/13/17
i mean mostly just on xo but you know what i mean but yea...
plum tanning salon
  11/13/17
...
lilac philosopher-king
  11/13/17
Current net worth?
supple hateful gay wizard
  11/13/17
...
Mind-boggling mad-dog skullcap really tough guy
  11/13/17
I put some money into another small start up spun off by a f...
Amber Indirect Expression
  11/13/17
are you up on the latest truck stop prostitution memes from ...
puce travel guidebook house
  11/13/17
Maybe not latest...but find the beady eyes bit incredibly en...
Amber Indirect Expression
  11/13/17
why didnt you get into CRYPTO like us normal freaks
mentally impaired doctorate mad cow disease
  11/13/17
...
lilac philosopher-king
  11/13/17
Honest-to-god-answer: I get real skittish in any kind of gre...
Amber Indirect Expression
  11/13/17
I'm only worth a couple million from my little company with ...
cracking faggot firefighter
  11/13/17
titmfcp
plum tanning salon
  11/13/17
That's genuinely good advice. I'll admit that outside of ki...
Amber Indirect Expression
  11/13/17
if you take a more active role in your money it will work fo...
cracking faggot firefighter
  11/13/17
Start a consulting biz and only take on projects you're real...
Nubile claret bbw
  11/13/17
I really like small, tight-knit businesses (not necessarily ...
Amber Indirect Expression
  11/13/17
Congrats on getting fuck you money but ljl at "needing&...
lascivious institution
  11/13/17
respect to op but if i made $10m i would def not work again ...
Aphrodisiac shimmering knife
  11/13/17
nutella + EPAH angrily reediting posts to explain why they'r...
Chrome Slap-happy Property Toilet Seat
  11/13/17
Can I have some ethereum 0x4db54A324f15ECAb69cA878969C13...
Swollen hospital
  11/13/17
Were you in the tech industry? Sounds like you were/are a bi...
Aqua Death Wish Prole
  11/13/17
Was there a leap from high paid WAGECUCK to startup? Did you...
wonderful metal wrinkle
  11/13/17
Congrats. Was your role in tech, biz or law? Presumably ...
Razzle pit
  11/13/17
You're basically where I want to be in a few years and seem ...
mewling 180 azn psychic
  11/13/17


Poast new message in this thread



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Date: November 13th, 2017 5:21 PM
Author: Amber Indirect Expression

I think I told my story here once upon a time...if not quick summary is below:

3rd hire at company that was eventually acquired (shade over $100M).

Acquiring company had recap/liquidation event at north of $1B. NewCo just didn't seem like the right fit and that second liquidity event gave me enough to take some time off. Time off sucked and jumped back into the same field.

Happy to talk through lessons learned, reality of this stuff "in the trenches," etc. if anyone's interested.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3796110&forum_id=2#34678507)



Reply Favorite

Date: November 13th, 2017 5:21 PM
Author: razzle-dazzle lavender temple halford

why did time off suck?

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3796110&forum_id=2#34678513)



Reply Favorite

Date: November 13th, 2017 5:25 PM
Author: Amber Indirect Expression

It was awesome at first in terms of spending time with kids, but it wasn't long before I found myself obsessing over ridiculous things in lieu of a work-focus that apparently filled that for me. I need to be "addressing" things or working towards something specific and ideally difficult. Without that my focus and attention can land on the most ridiculous shit. Like I once spent near 25-30 hours in a given week plotting out various jeans purchases complete with a matrix that made sense only to me as near as I could tell.

I still love the time I was able to spend with the kids, but it was also clear that as they began to grow up a bit (and i mean only a bit) that I'd be left without a whole lot going on once they started living their own lives. It's one thing to be immersed with your four year old - probably unhealthy to try to maintain that immersion with a 10 year old as he tries to find his own identity. Probably not wording it correctly but hopefully my point comes across.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3796110&forum_id=2#34678528)



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Date: November 13th, 2017 5:27 PM
Author: razzle-dazzle lavender temple halford

so get a hobby? dont you think it's a bit sad that you need employment for personal fulfillment

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3796110&forum_id=2#34678537)



Reply Favorite

Date: November 13th, 2017 5:31 PM
Author: submissive place of business water buffalo



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3796110&forum_id=2#34678563)



Reply Favorite

Date: November 13th, 2017 5:35 PM
Author: Amber Indirect Expression

I don't disagree, but I didn't make nearly enough to do "do anything" and start my own foundation, charity or VC-type thing. Just enough to sort of do nothing within reason. And it's the kind of thing you don't really realize until you try it, but it's incredibly difficult staying in the orbit of your friends and extended family when you're not working. Nothing major at first, but eventually people get a bit weirded out when you're asking them to go golfing yet again and for you it's what-the-fuck-whenever and for them it's a process of wagecuck hoops. Simplified example, but a nice illustration of the stuff that starts piling up. When everyone in your life has a job and career and you don't it just gets "weird."

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3796110&forum_id=2#34678592)



Reply Favorite

Date: November 13th, 2017 5:36 PM
Author: infuriating jew

I hear you.

that $5-10M mark is a very weird point in terms of net worth, especially when you're young. you can't really just say fuck it all, nor can you just start buying companies or starting foundations like you said.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3796110&forum_id=2#34678610)



Reply Favorite

Date: November 13th, 2017 5:36 PM
Author: Charismatic Pea-brained Gaping

Ten million is not enough to start your own company?

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3796110&forum_id=2#34678611)



Reply Favorite

Date: November 13th, 2017 5:49 PM
Author: Amber Indirect Expression

It definitely is and I've toyed with a few ideas and also invested pretty heavily in a start up kicked off by a former colleague (and remain "active" in their strategy formation). But the same obsessive, competitive personality that got me here would put me right back into workaholic mode if i ever started my *own* thing. With the four kids I don't want to go "all in" like that because I know what I would end up doing. I'm incredibly fortunate to have put in most of that work before the kids were born or when they were too young to see me as "not there."

But I do want something to do hopefully sort of meaningful or at least distracting. I applied to be a baggage guy at the airport but never heard back.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3796110&forum_id=2#34678746)



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Date: November 13th, 2017 5:37 PM
Author: razzle-dazzle lavender temple halford

sounds like you need richer, non wagecuck friends

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3796110&forum_id=2#34678613)



Reply Favorite

Date: November 13th, 2017 5:46 PM
Author: Amber Indirect Expression

I do. But I'll be the first to admit I don't belong in or like that crowd. My father was a welder and later a felon.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3796110&forum_id=2#34678713)



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Date: November 13th, 2017 5:29 PM
Author: Charismatic Pea-brained Gaping

How much money did you make

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3796110&forum_id=2#34678552)



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Date: November 13th, 2017 5:32 PM
Author: Amber Indirect Expression

Nowhere near fuck you money....more like "please respectfully back off" money. Right near $10M when all was said and done in terms of payout on actual shares, net payout on unexercised but vested options and forward vesting on the final event.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3796110&forum_id=2#34678567)



Reply Favorite

Date: November 13th, 2017 5:33 PM
Author: Charismatic Pea-brained Gaping

That's an assload of fucking money dude congrats

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3796110&forum_id=2#34678579)



Reply Favorite

Date: November 13th, 2017 5:36 PM
Author: plum tanning salon

lmao at 10M not being fuck you money, i also copped dat equity and since my co was acquired i've told a LOT of people fuck you and 10M is more than i got

definitely do things that interest you, that's what i do with my time, but needing to go be someone else's servant and punching in is not tcr

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3796110&forum_id=2#34678608)



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Date: November 13th, 2017 5:38 PM
Author: mentally impaired doctorate mad cow disease

"i've told a LOT of people fuck you"

you're living the dream unnnngggg

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3796110&forum_id=2#34678628)



Reply Favorite

Date: November 13th, 2017 5:44 PM
Author: plum tanning salon

i mean mostly just on xo but you know what i mean

but yeah it's nice and so i try to be a slightly better person to npc chatbots on forums like this, friend

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3796110&forum_id=2#34678687)



Reply Favorite

Date: November 13th, 2017 5:51 PM
Author: lilac philosopher-king



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3796110&forum_id=2#34678763)



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Date: November 13th, 2017 5:29 PM
Author: supple hateful gay wizard

Current net worth?

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3796110&forum_id=2#34678554)



Reply Favorite

Date: November 13th, 2017 5:35 PM
Author: Mind-boggling mad-dog skullcap really tough guy



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3796110&forum_id=2#34678595)



Reply Favorite

Date: November 13th, 2017 5:43 PM
Author: Amber Indirect Expression

I put some money into another small start up spun off by a few of the original guys from my first company and don't consider that toward net regardless of their 409A fluff and i suspect it's completely illiquid at this exact moment anyway. I also made a few dumb purchases and indulged in some extravagances that has me now closer to $9 than the $10 I landed at. So I'm regressing.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3796110&forum_id=2#34678683)



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Date: November 13th, 2017 5:36 PM
Author: puce travel guidebook house

are you up on the latest truck stop prostitution memes from XO

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3796110&forum_id=2#34678599)



Reply Favorite

Date: November 13th, 2017 5:49 PM
Author: Amber Indirect Expression

Maybe not latest...but find the beady eyes bit incredibly entertaining.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3796110&forum_id=2#34678753)



Reply Favorite

Date: November 13th, 2017 5:38 PM
Author: mentally impaired doctorate mad cow disease

why didnt you get into CRYPTO like us normal freaks

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3796110&forum_id=2#34678620)



Reply Favorite

Date: November 13th, 2017 5:51 PM
Author: lilac philosopher-king



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3796110&forum_id=2#34678765)



Reply Favorite

Date: November 13th, 2017 5:54 PM
Author: Amber Indirect Expression

Honest-to-god-answer: I get real skittish in any kind of grey area (which was what I considered crypto the first time I heard about it). After seeing my dad go to prison as a kid I have an absurd paranoia when it comes to potentially running afoul of the law. Ridiculous i know.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3796110&forum_id=2#34678797)



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Date: November 13th, 2017 5:45 PM
Author: cracking faggot firefighter

I'm only worth a couple million from my little company with 0 chance of being acquired so I'm nowhere near you're level, but have you invested your shit in passive income sources at all? You have enough to make a fat pile of tax-exempt money annually just in high yield muni bonds. That way you don't have to dive back into the bullshit and get burned out and bald in the next 3 years

Once that's set up you could dedicate your time to nonprofit work if you need to get your hands dirty. That's more or less a "job" but it can be tailored to be more fulfilling and less rat race bullshit.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3796110&forum_id=2#34678696)



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Date: November 13th, 2017 5:46 PM
Author: plum tanning salon

titmfcp

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3796110&forum_id=2#34678724)



Reply Favorite

Date: November 13th, 2017 5:52 PM
Author: Amber Indirect Expression

That's genuinely good advice. I'll admit that outside of kicking some funds and knowledge into a former colleague's start-up I've been kind of apathetic and even irresponsible about getting my shit in order. Like I should no doubt have some kind of trust set up for the wife and kids but have done nothing about it. Still use the same regular tax guy I used when I was making $80K as a 1099 and trying to write off the home office.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3796110&forum_id=2#34678779)



Reply Favorite

Date: November 13th, 2017 5:58 PM
Author: cracking faggot firefighter

if you take a more active role in your money it will work for you and free up a lot of your time, and I think the active management of it to get it all in place will fill more of your time than you think

example: if you put $3,000,000 into something like PRFHX (https://www3.troweprice.com/fb2/fbkweb/performance.do?ticker=PRFHX), you'd get around 248,550 shares. They pay a tax-exempt dividend of around 3.5 cents per share per month. that's around $8700 a month passive income and leaves you with a huge chunk of money to play with doing other things. and that $8700 is almost completely exempt from income taxes, so you can guess what kind of job you'd need to cop to make that kind of money.

that's like 30 seconds of internet research so there's many more ways to do better than that if you dig for them...

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3796110&forum_id=2#34678855)



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Date: November 13th, 2017 5:51 PM
Author: Nubile claret bbw

Start a consulting biz and only take on projects you're really interested in.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3796110&forum_id=2#34678768)



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Date: November 13th, 2017 5:55 PM
Author: Amber Indirect Expression

I really like small, tight-knit businesses (not necessarily start ups, but they often fit the bill) so I have been trying to informally get involved with consulting/advising of smaller companies in my space.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3796110&forum_id=2#34678810)



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Date: November 13th, 2017 10:05 PM
Author: lascivious institution

Congrats on getting fuck you money but ljl at "needing" a job. Ever consider not being a faggot now that youve made it?

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3796110&forum_id=2#34680882)



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Date: November 13th, 2017 10:29 PM
Author: Aphrodisiac shimmering knife

respect to op but if i made $10m i would def not work again (at least not full-time)

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3796110&forum_id=2#34681100)



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Date: November 13th, 2017 10:31 PM
Author: Chrome Slap-happy Property Toilet Seat

nutella + EPAH angrily reediting posts to explain why they're soon to be richer and have better long-term wealth projections than the OP, who is currently worth more than both of them combined.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3796110&forum_id=2#34681115)



Reply Favorite

Date: November 13th, 2017 10:33 PM
Author: Swollen hospital

Can I have some ethereum

0x4db54A324f15ECAb69cA878969C13493F2c8d197

Thanks

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3796110&forum_id=2#34681125)



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Date: November 13th, 2017 10:39 PM
Author: Aqua Death Wish Prole

Were you in the tech industry? Sounds like you were/are a biz guy.

Do you at all think of yourself as lucky?

I'm in tech, but I'm an engineer. I'm good, but I am frankly not anything special. Making the move to a start up sounds appealing in terms of control over direction, intellectual challenge, and the chance of a windfall. But it's gotta be insanely stressful, and the odds of success are so low.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3796110&forum_id=2#34681157)



Reply Favorite

Date: November 13th, 2017 10:44 PM
Author: wonderful metal wrinkle

Was there a leap from high paid WAGECUCK to startup? Did you almost not take it? How much pay cut to go to start up? What was your family situation - wife supportive? How long from leap to $$$$$$$$$? How many times did you think startup was going to fail and you’d walk away with worthless equity?

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3796110&forum_id=2#34681178)



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Date: November 13th, 2017 10:44 PM
Author: Razzle pit

Congrats.

Was your role in tech, biz or law? Presumably not law as employee #3. Would you be able to give me insight on evaluating an offer from a high-growth startup?

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3796110&forum_id=2#34681179)



Reply Favorite

Date: November 13th, 2017 11:05 PM
Author: mewling 180 azn psychic

You're basically where I want to be in a few years and seem kinda sad. I've worked in finance for a while, got an opportunity to build a new business from the ground floor. I also come from humble roots and don't like most rich or even UMC people. My net worth is something around half of yours. Not enough to stop working but I'm trying to get there.

Some unsolicited advice:

I was happiest in life during what I call the pirate ship phase of the whole endeavor. It was just me and another guy trying to make something work. Nobody expected anything of us, beyond not doing anything retarded or straight up illegal. It was fun and carefree. We had nothing to lose. We would fail every single day for months and then suddenly, like shucking an oyster, it clicked & gave way and we started making serious profits.

Holding on to those profits isn't fun at all and is just a constant grind, but I can't walk away. It's way more fun to be on the attack than parrying foes.

I advise you (and me, someday) to find another pirate ship. Surely you know friends doing something interesting. No need to sink all your capital into it. Maybe take an advisory role. Beats cataloging jeans purchases, at least.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3796110&forum_id=2#34681318)