EPTsubtle brag blog, with maybe a lesson in there somewhere
I have a 9 to 5 job working for a medium sized company writing C code for microprocessors. The CEO at this company is a very smart man who started the company in the 80's by writing a compiler. I really enjoy the programming at this job, and the inherent challenges of working in between hardware and software. The software I write is sold to other companies that need compilers or operating systems for their planes or cars. It's sold for thousands or millions of dollars depending on how badly they need it.
Most days I actually get in around 10, and take a two or three hour lunch break to play dota. One perk of the software industry is that scientific analysis of measurements is usually weighted more heavily than personal feelings, so as long as my productivity numbers look good, my actual hours matter much less.
A few hours each weekend, and maybe an evening or two each week, I also spend time working on side projects for myself. My largest side project consists of a server with a forum to buy my product at; a custom printed circuit board with a radio, accelerometer, LEDs, and an 32-bit microchip; a port of an open source operating system to run on my board; and a soft clear silicone rubber case to put all the hardware in. It's taken me three years, hundreds of hours, and thousands of dollars, yet I'm still another couple of years off before it is actually usable.
+ Show Spoiler +
actually, right now it's only the forum, custom PCB, and operating system. The hardware case is really tough to get right...
At some points along the way, I have wondered if I should drop my day job, pick up a round of seed funding and try my luck starting my own company. It could be fun, being my own boss and getting the nifty "CEO" title. I'd almost certainly fail eventually, and either start another company or settle back into working for someone else. In the exceptional case that I didn't fail, and managed to create a growing profitable company, I could retire young and happy and try my hand at semipro dota full time.
The only problem is, if I raised a seed round, I wouldn't be working for myself. I'd own my company, but I'd still be working for everyone who just invested in me. I'd be forced to make profit-driven decisions in the hope that I could justify the investments. I'd force my employees to make profit-driven decisions as well, so that each employee made my investment in them worth it.
The side project represents my desire to escape that trap, so there is no way I could go the startup route. It's a way to make a thing, and to make it well, without a boss. I won't be selling my props to other companies for thousands or millions of dollars, but that's okay. I don't have to answer to anyone.
