The "stay W2 and build on the side" path gets a bad rap, but it's actually the more rational choice for most people.

I went the part-time route. What I learned:

1. Constraints breed creativity. Having only 10-15 hours/week forces you to ruthlessly prioritize what actually moves the needle vs. what feels productive.

2. Revenue validation before quitting is underrated. If you can get even $500/mo while working full-time, you've proven something real. Most people who quit to "go all in" spend months building before discovering nobody wants what they're making.

3. The emotional rollercoaster is easier to handle when your rent isn't tied to your MRR. Bad months don't become existential crises.

The one caveat: if your startup requires intense sales cycles, enterprise deals, or you're in a winner-take-all market with funded competitors, then speed matters more than sustainability. But for most B2B SaaS or tools businesses, the tortoise approach works fine.