> So, what are the YC people investing in? Two guys who seem pretty smart?

The fully loaded market rate for "two guys who seem pretty smart" in Silicon Valley is somewhere between $200,000 to $300,000 per year -- at regular day jobs. Even boring regular employers invest a ton of money in people just based on an interview.

Remember this, when thinking about all of the investors who are always demanding tons of up-front proof and traction from founders. Regular day jobs generally require you to do nothing up front, except showing up to an interview. Firing within the first year is relatively rare. In many ways, regular day job employers are a lot less risk averse than investors!