Never quit your day job too quickly … It can hurt!!!

I am laughing because I have gone through the same thing. Difference being I quit my job because it was 6 figure sales based. You can't do both. I have a partner that will never quit her job and makes 6 figures, only started saving for retirement because I told them to, had successful investments because I told them to.... And who pays for it in the lack of support - me.

Some people are employees and I knew the deal when I started so I won't blame them for losses. I blame investors for being so stupid to not understand that a founding team won't always have A risk absorbent players. Because I can't make an investor smarter or any less risk adverse, I focus on what I can.

I am now in the process of building everything on my own. Yes, it will slow me down, yes it will take longer, but in the end I am going to reap all the rewards and am happy to say be able to bonus out my employees more.

If I were you, I would buy out the half assed not really founder founders (who the hell doesn't jump when they have revenue, investors, and belief - employees), focus on making the money and customers myself and build it on my own, never asking for a dime again. Because if your business can make $100k on its own and turn it into $300k the next year and $900k the following, you can hire/develop/strategize your way up the ladder without the risk of someone else's money. Now clearly, money makes things go faster with a validated product and the perfect team in place, but if you truly believe, it won't matter how long it takes or that it doesn't go according to plan. You do the best with what you got to move forward.

I'm literally at ground zero and building myself back up. I know for a fact that this time next year, my company will have made $3m in revenue. It is far from what our team is capable of, but it's what we got. I'd rather bet on my super employees than ever pitch some investor, accelerator, or VC ever again.

Not everyone has what it takes to go all the way. You did it, so keep going. In the end, it will pay off.

Or, you can get a job and call it a day. Neither response is wrong. Do what's best for you.

Talks to my experience as well. Happened to me three times in different scenarios. 95% of people are like this - most want to be a "founder" but as soon as they see the reality of the typical founder life they stay within the safety of their job. Part of your responsibility as a founder and ceo is to really understand your partners and what drives them. Most people act very differently from what they say in-person.

Regardless, I also went solo when my founders bailed out and was able to build a decent lifestyle business that gives me opportunities to experiment with other products.

Congratulations your knowledge of human nature has now increased and you'll be in better shape next time. It's a marathon not a sprint! :)