I started a b2b SaaS company while employed and quit when we got our first paying customers. I always built software in my off hours for fun, but when I decided to try and solve other people's problems I realized it could be a business rather than just a hobby. I don't think my employer knew or cared what I was going to do after I left.

Currently we are in the process of being acquired by a larger company. I've seen a few folks try to do a start a company this way and they almost always underestimate how much work it's going to be. Everything takes 3 times longer than you think it will and requires 10 times more effort.

I tried to raise seed funding and VC money but failed on both counts, so I can't really give any useful advice on how to do that. I raise this because I spent a lot of time in meetings with potential investors and gathering information for them. Since that ended up being largely unproductive time, now I wish I had just focused on my customers instead.

I'd be interested to hear how other people decide which investor meetings to take and which ones to ignore.