You could learn the ropes while starting your own company or at some huge conglomerate. The difference is that you're probably not able to put away much cash while doing your own thing.
Anyway, the $10K investment at 23 is kind of a red herring. The true question I've had to ask myself the last decade, is whether it's better to take more risky start-up jobs for equity or stick with safer enterprise jobs at a good salary, but with less chance to start something myself and possibly hit the jackpot.
So in my late 30s, I haven't had much start-up experience, and uncool Java and Spring are my bread and butter. But after a decade of making over six figures annually, investing most of it, living frugally, and letting exponential growth do its thing, by the time I'm 40, I'll be well placed financially to take the same risks as any 25 year old. But I'll have plenty of capital (via exponential growth) and experience. And probably better odds of creating something that at least breaks even and pays the bills.
I went straight into startups after school...and boy was it though! Even when we made money we would invest it straight back into the business...I lived mostly poor all my twenties...no car, vacations, apartment (I lived at the office most of those years), etc.
What I gained was invaluable expierence and network...way beyond what you can learn in a very well defined (and confined) role at a established company.
Now at age 37 I work as a lead at on of the big 3, responsible for billions of dollars. Pulling in a high 6 figures annual compensation and also well on my way to be able to retire at 40. And I just started saving money 2-3 years ago for the first time in my life.
I have a family, own a house, go surfing in summer and snowboarding in the winter...I picked all this up in the last 6 years...I guess you could say my life plan was more of a exponential one...where the first 10 years didn’t seem to lead anywhere worth going...I always believed that doing good work would eventually pay off...and eventually it did and the grind payed off and the exponential curve started.
I be honest, I needed it that way...the linear approach to life has never been my thing...but that’s just me...people should be true to themselves when it comes to life planning!
Hey not trying to rain on anybody's parade. :)
But, the fact that you work at one of the big 3, responsible for billions of dollars, means you probably graduated from a top school, live in the Bay area, are in the top 3-4% of intelligence and skills, had some luck, etc.
Most of us here, statistically, are not going to have these same traits.
Take a risk, but don't end up at 40 without something saved up for a rainy day. Start-ups fail more than they succeed, and we're both lucky - you in the right place at the right time (tech bubble, SV, etc) and me having invested during one of the largest bull markets in history.
So we're probably both preaching BS that may not apply going forward.
I am a Product Manager these days
You're better off taking the high salary at Facebook, Amazon, Microsoft, Google etc..