"living off a spouse working" is not exactly "broke as f*ck". If that disappears, then yes, is mostly about money.

2 people 1 middle income wage with kids (most I knew had young kids).... is close to scraping by. Some were on foodstamps. Meaning - it can be done by many in the U.S. - that's the take-a-way for everyone reading this.

I mean my anecdote vs. your anecdote, but every successful founder I have ever met had significant personal resources that allowed them to take almost no personal risk, and in most cases they had immense resources that gave them a significant leg up. I have never, ever seen a successful founder who was broke, unless they were a college student in which case broke is not really as useful a descriptor.

Choose your own storyline version. If you don't think you can do it because you're not rich - you're right. If you know you can do it because you are not - you're right.