Make kids. It's the best startup you'll ever have.
Your co-founder might want out and take almost all the equity. Even so you still must keep helping with funding.
Even if everything goes well with your co-founder, you put a lot of money into it but your shares gradually and inevitably unvest, till 18 years later you've got 0% equity.
Even so you might be expected to shell out a couple of rounds of funding ("we're getting traction and in 4 years we'll be getting revenue").
Then, although you aren't liable for your "startup"'s actions anymore, your reputation is forever linked to it.
What's the upside?
Have a child and you'll see, unless you really are as sterile as you sound. :)
I love my kids... but I've never had the rosy "they make my life complete" vibe that a lot of other people talk about.
Maybe there's something wrong with me?
Kids are a tremendous time and money sink. Nightly storytime, getting down on the floor to play with them, encouraging them as they experiment with art/music/dancing/etc, taking them to the playground/pool/skating/etc every weekend... those hours used to be for programming, learning, video games, dating, movies, friends, "alone time", and everything else I gave up on or cut WAY back on in order to make space in my life for my kids.
Looking back on my life, I think I would do it again... so I guess there's some benefit to it all. But damn if I can see it or articulate it.
(They're 5, 3, and 1month)
Hang in there.
If not, you're doing it wrong.
Thank you HN for such great people and quality posts :)
/ducks
Two wives: you are tired
Three wives: they hate each other
Four wives: they hate you!
(This is a half-remembered quote but I don't recall where I heard it and my googlefu has failed me)