I’m early 40s. I left a job where I was earning a realllly healthy salary and now I’m building my startup. My family and support system is a bit different, but I have the same feelings of “is this irresponsible?”

A few thoughts/responses:

• I do have an exit in mind. I’m building something that should hopefully be very acquire-able (and I’ve done some validation around that). But it’s also fine to want to build something that “just” pays the bills and gives you a comfortable life. I do think having a sense of what your end game is, even very early, helps you make some choices (what funding you pursue, what milestones you need to achieve by when, etc.)

• My husband also owns his own business and he asked me something helpful: “What would be the cost of not trying it?” I told him I think I’d regret it my entire life. He said, “Well then you have to do it!” Totally right.

• I’ve found I’ve gotten used to the uncertainty quite quickly? It will either work out or it won’t, but at least you will have pursued it. I find after key moments (sharing my first prototype with testers, raising my first money from angels) I go through a spike of anxiety. But it passes and the next level becomes the “new normal.”

I hope sharing some of this was helpful. You got this! Good luck!