I guess it's not a solo endeavor, you're working on it with other people? How many hours a day do you work on the side project vs your FAANG job?

After my job takes close to 10 hours, I put roughly 3 hours on the side project everyday. Weekends and holidays are where I put 10 hours in it per day. I'm working on it with one another partner by the way.

I respect your effort. Out of curiosity, do you have a partner / children? If yes, how do you balance your family with work/entrepreneurship? If not, do you think people with family commitments can/should use their free time on side projects? (As for me, I work similar hours to you and have a wife but no kids. I think my side projects will have to stop when the kids come along; my wife is already sad that instead of spending time with her I choose extra work that is unpaid in the short term and may never result in a financial reward for our family.)

Thanks, there is a still a lot I need to learn in terms of balancing. My wife is very understanding about my situation - she takes care of a lot of stuff for me and I really appreciate it.

We have no kids yet, but planning for one this year. I know it would get tight to work on side projects with a kid while being actively employed, but it is still very possible to get it all going. We just need to optimize a lot, and learn to ignore/skip unimportant things. I know a few people who have run companies with little babies in their families.A lot of people I've met in the Bay Area successfully did it with 2 kids and a wife and a full-time job. Your side projects don't have to stop with kids coming. One thing I know that would help is, find a lightweight job while you're fiddling with side projects. That will help ease it up a lot. Another tip, wake up early in the day at 5:30AM or so. It will give you a lot of time on a super sharp mind.

I think it is doing "these 2 jobs" that is the main problem here. If my side project spawned into a company that I am able to let go of my full-time job, I am sure I'd get extra time to dedicate to my family. I am frankly looking forward to that day. In your situation, it would be your job to speak your heart out with your wife. Regardless of how financially viable your side projects are, they are still something you enjoy and you must communicate this to her clearly. She should be able to understand AFAICS.

I regret not doing this sooner when I was single, but I am doing it at least now. I am more experienced and more skilled today than I ever was.

Why are you putting in 10 hours a day? Do you like giving free labor to your employer? To make up for this, cut your regular job back to 6 or 7 hours tops. This is real, real easy to do during the pandemic with everyone "working from home."

Well it is the "expectations" they have on us. I wish I were in my previous job, where I hardly worked 4 hours a day and was still a super-performer.