1. Immigration - I am an immigrant which makes launching your own company hard. I have a few years before my permanent residency comes through
2. Point #1 can be very demotivating. I have some ideas, and I keep playing with projects [Nothing worth releasing, or even having much potential, mind you] but not knowing if and when I can actually do something about it proves very unsettling, and ambiguous
3. My work permit requires a full-time job. This can be very consuming as many other HN'ers know. Does not help with the motivational aspect of it
Despite all this, I have hopes. HN provides valuable insights, and stories like yours provide encouragement. Perhaps it will remain a dream, for I am already 32 and I don't know where I will be a few years from now.
Its still possible man. I was in your place. I focussed on the problems instead of finding solutions for them. It is possible. If you email me then I can find the articles about people in your position who started companies.
Its difficult but its better than sitting gloomily that you cant do anything (like I did for a while).
Also theres so much to learn before you start your own venture - networks to be a part of, understanding VC/Angels, knowing as much as you can technically. Understanding business ,talking to customers, getting feedback.
Theres so much you could be doing. Stop focussing on what you cant do!
H1B sucks i know :( Sort of legal "voluntary" slavery. Maybe startup is not for you and you should focus on your core job, master at it and look for career grows? For that you might want to stop reading HN too much and focus on relevant sources.
I would not go as far as to say that a startup is not for me (Don't need another demotivating factor :D). I have a dream, and I intend to work on it while I do what it is that I do right now. If I ever get to a point where I may have to give up on it, well so be it but that point is not now, and hopefully not in the foreseeable future.
I work very hard to be good at what I do. My current focus is on learning as much as I can, regarding whatever it is that needs my immediate attention as well as aspects that may help later with a startup (if it ever comes to that). I am single with no debt whatsoever and I pack away as much as I can save (I am somewhat of a minimalist and live very frugally).
Regarding HN - It probably is the most relevant source I have found. Lot's of great advice and articles, lots of motivations (@patio11 comes to mind) and most importantly the company of (somewhat [1]) like-minded folks.
[1] - I say somewhat mostly because I doubt many others are people attempting to immigrate.
Ha! Good point. I guess I might have misrepresented my state of mind - It is a demotivating, and a bit of a hurdle, but hey, no one said it will be easy, right?
You can file a LLC or S-Corp while on H1 or EAD. It requires you to maintain a full time job (it doesn't mean you cant have a business). USCIS has an entrepreneur category for Green card (I think its new and faster than regular categories). If your idea kicks in you can always switch to this category. You are in a good place to start something....in US.
1. Immigration - I am an immigrant which makes launching your own company hard. I have a few years before my permanent residency comes through
2. Point #1 can be very demotivating. I have some ideas, and I keep playing with projects [Nothing worth releasing, or even having much potential, mind you] but not knowing if and when I can actually do something about it proves very unsettling, and ambiguous
3. My work permit requires a full-time job. This can be very consuming as many other HN'ers know. Does not help with the motivational aspect of it
Despite all this, I have hopes. HN provides valuable insights, and stories like yours provide encouragement. Perhaps it will remain a dream, for I am already 32 and I don't know where I will be a few years from now.
Here's to hope! :)
[Congrats on your 3rd launch]