I build my product in 2006. I didn't get into YC in 2007. My company became ramen profitable a year ago. Then I found a co-founder.

I broke just about every rule of thumb that typically applies to startups, and my company took a while to get off the ground as a result, but we are cash flow positive, 100% founder owned and growing like gangbusters.

YC is not the only way to go, and most of the "rules for startups" can be broken. If you want to start a business and have a decent shot at building a substantial amount of wealth, there are plenty of other less-glamorous, less-publicized, less-competitive ways to do it.