graveThrow56

If someone wants to start a business and call it lifestyle, great for them. It usually tells their business is not all their is in their life, and that's great.

When someone else calls a business "lifestyle" just because it is small, i believe it is condescending.

If I called the CEO of the 20-employees plumbing company i sometimes use, and asked him "how's your lifestyle business doing?" he would probably hang up on me.

Paul Graham goes to extra lengths to differentiate startups vs other type of business: it's all about growth.

So this essay talks about startups under the YC brand, I assume we're talking about hi-growth business, not small and medium ones that have no goals to grow double digits every month.

Finally, we should stop adding a condescending "lifestyle" qualififier to businesses that are not trying to become a unicorn. It is most businesses actually.

I thought the same. If if was genuine, he would suggest another option: starting a small/medium business in tech. You know, a business that helps you escape corporate life, and make money for yourself in the process.

Only problem: there is no way for YC to make money off of it...

So let's ignore S&M businesses in tech and as a valid entrepreneurship route. Let's pretend that the only options are a startup or corporate life.