I don't think he meant that all employment is evil or akin to slavery. What sucks about work from the employee's perspective usually has roots in the employee's belief that he/she is not properly appreciated/respected/compensated for his/her personal contributions to the job.

It's not like working for a startup or starting one yourself frees you from your personal financial commitments, but it can (and often does) make you feel more appreciated/respected/compensated for the work you do.