How we got a 3-letter domain on a startup budget

"Don’t be afraid of a high purchase price in 5 to 10 years in a lease-to-own arrangement. At the risk of sounding stoic, it’s likely that it won’t matter in the end, no matter which direction your companies goes."

Only for VC funded companies. The scenarios described are failure, huge success and acquisition.

For non-VC funded companies there's also mild success (profitable, just not hugely profitable) in which case the yearly cost of lease of the domain is a burden.