THANK YOU! I came in here to write something similar, but you said it much clearer. I was lucky - when my first Startup Free.TV died, the company did not go bankrupt, but it did kill my credit. I was also worried about what I would tell my wife - the great news is is was VERY hard, but she stood by me and we are still married ten years later. I have eventually gotten the courage to start another startup, but now is that I now know how the system works and will not sell equity for peanuts anymore. This does hold me back - I would not say I am scared, just more careful. There IS life afterwards. If you want to talk, email me HACKER at Free dot TV