Harsh Realities From 500 Startups Founders

I blinked when I got to this remark: "...my prior seven figure personal net worth had been reduced to $30,000, which I had stocked away in cash in a safety deposit box."

To me the idea of having $3k in cash is unthinkable (retail businesses and other circumstances where there is an operational need for cash excepted, of course), never mind $30k in cash. It brings to mind drug dealers and money laundering.

Is having such large amounts of cash more commonplace in the US, or were other readers similarly startled?

This one really made me think:

You Can’t Do It All Yourself

After getting rejected by Y Combinator in 2008, my soon-to-be co-founders couldn’t take on the risk. I decided to do it myself, and ran out of steam (and moral support) after about 12 months and decided to fold. (Sid Viswanathan, CardMunch)