I've done many startups and I have to say I love it, but the struggle to fund it properly (to it right) is what turns me off. I'd rather bootstrap myself (these days) and go the "indie hacker" route and not have to deal with fundraising -- build a product myself, sell it and roll it all on my own. That wasn't possible 20 years ago, it is now.
So yeah, I've focused on the executive level, CTO, VP, etc, But with that, you have to either give up coding and just manage or go to a tiny company to be the "key player", but then you're typically at a smallish company with little to no funding. I've been doing that lately, I'm at a small start up running engineering, but I'm an "employee", not a founder.
There seems to be a clear bias with VC companies against someone my age and background. Not to say I don't have a network I could probably work and get funding, I could. But I also wanted to get back to square one and work with people again and NOT have to deal with things like Healthcare, stock options and "hey, that person needs a week off because their cats sick." -- I'd rather just CODE and learn more, enjoy the art of buildings things without the pressure of an investor looming over you.
I've made enough money to be comfortable, but I still need to earn a living -- I haven't made that "FU" money and my wife laughs and jokes that for as much success we've had, even if I did get the "FU" money, I'd still want to work 70 hours a week and write code... ;-)
About your Skype coding comment. Yeah, new trend is to "pair" with someone online in an interview process and go through programming challenges. I'm OK with that, but I don't work well that way. I work better in a situation where I can think and spend the time myself on the problem. My brain isn't wired for "fast and rapid", it's more of a "trial and error" until I get it working, then later on optimize and make it better. I do terrible at that first pass, always been more of an interactive developer who starts with something that works and then over time perfects it. That style SUCKS on a pair programming exercise.
So yeah, I've focused on the executive level, CTO, VP, etc, But with that, you have to either give up coding and just manage or go to a tiny company to be the "key player", but then you're typically at a smallish company with little to no funding. I've been doing that lately, I'm at a small start up running engineering, but I'm an "employee", not a founder.
There seems to be a clear bias with VC companies against someone my age and background. Not to say I don't have a network I could probably work and get funding, I could. But I also wanted to get back to square one and work with people again and NOT have to deal with things like Healthcare, stock options and "hey, that person needs a week off because their cats sick." -- I'd rather just CODE and learn more, enjoy the art of buildings things without the pressure of an investor looming over you.
I've made enough money to be comfortable, but I still need to earn a living -- I haven't made that "FU" money and my wife laughs and jokes that for as much success we've had, even if I did get the "FU" money, I'd still want to work 70 hours a week and write code... ;-)
About your Skype coding comment. Yeah, new trend is to "pair" with someone online in an interview process and go through programming challenges. I'm OK with that, but I don't work well that way. I work better in a situation where I can think and spend the time myself on the problem. My brain isn't wired for "fast and rapid", it's more of a "trial and error" until I get it working, then later on optimize and make it better. I do terrible at that first pass, always been more of an interactive developer who starts with something that works and then over time perfects it. That style SUCKS on a pair programming exercise.