Ask HN: What's your reason for doing a startup?

[gringomorcego]

I've recently been given an offer to join a startup of 10+ people. I'm very hesitant though, because for me the reason for doing a startup was that I wanted to learn about my own limits.

Obviously I like the idea of having money, but more than anything I want to make my own choices, and I don't think I'll be able to do it at this place.

Is this a stupid whiney thing to think about? Or is it something worth actually doing?

[jasonkester]

Time.

More specifically, Time that I can spend doing whatever I want, with enough income to do it.

The plan is to do it with a small pile of SaaS products that don't take a lot of maintenance to keep alive and attract customers who don't need much hand holding. Naturally, the target is to have as high an income as possible with the least amount of time spent "working".

It's taken a while to get it all off the grand, but it's started to pay off in the last year or so.

[desertfox508]

I do it as a challenge for myself and a way to give back to the people I want to help. To me there is nothing more exciting than having to potential to shift the paradigm.

I have a well paying job now, but would drop it once my startup launches even though I have no plans or real ideas for pulling in revenue (income). But I have faith that the more people I help, eventually money will come.

I agree with your thinking. Do what you feel is right... there will always be startups of 10+ people for you to join later on if you so desire. If you join now, you will always be wondering "what if..."

[benblodgett]

I do it because I love writing software and learning. I have never had a job that I constantly learned and never got bored..

[richf]

Don't do it for the money — 99% of startups fail. That's not to say that you might not fall into the 1%. Someone's gotta hit it big once in a while, right?

Do it because you love what you do and are passionate about it. Too many people failed trying to chase money. Don't make the mistake of doing a startup for the wrong reason.

[rman666]

If you don't do it for the money, at least do it for the chicks. The startup culture is hot right now.