I mean...I've been gainfully employed the entire time but am still here :) I was on HN long before I registered this username - in fact, I only registered this user after I noticed the quality of comments degrading (hence the name).

Maybe I'm different than other earlier people who were drawn here - I'm just interested in tech and never really thought of doing the startup route. I've made a few millions of dollars in total comp in that time, but I do wonder where I would be if I took a step out of my comfortable FANG-type job 15 years ago.