The question
I shut down my startup two months ago and I have a good corporate offer. Is taking it giving up?
The context
I spent 2 and a half years building a logistics SaaS for small businesses with my cofounder, who's also my best friend from school (things got kinda weird between us after the shutdown, but that's another story haha).
We got to $1,800 MRR and stayed stuck there for a whole year. We tried everything: changing niches, lowering prices, social media marketing... nothing moved the needle. I burned like $30K of my savings (money that was supposed to be the down payment on an apartment).
Two weeks ago I got an offer for a tech lead role at a bank. Good salary, good team from what I saw in the interviews. My mom is happy. And I feel ashamed even to update my LinkedIn lol.
The part that confuses me the most: a part of me feels RELIEF at the idea of a steady paycheck and sleeping well. And then I feel guilty for feeling that relief, like it's proof I was never a real founder.
I'm scared that if I accept, I'll get comfortable and never try again.