I quit my stable marketing job two years ago to launch a subscription box for indie tea blends. Monthly revenue is now around $4,000, but after paying for ingredients, packaging, and shipping, my take-home is barely $1,200—less than minimum wage when I count the 50-hour weeks. My old colleague just got promoted to a director role with a $95,000 salary and full benefits. I keep telling myself the equity will pay off eventually, but I'm starting to question whether the 'pivot to entrepreneurship' narrative is just survivorship bias pushed by people who got lucky. Is chasing a startup dream really worth the financial and mental toll for most of us?