I'd be more interested to look at successful startups (however you define that[0]) and see how those founders met.
[0] Personally, I'm more interested in recurring revenue, so successful for me is either profitable and stable to support the founders and employees or a large acquisition. A 4- or 5-figure acquisition is less appealing because truthfully, between my mortgage, student loans, and other bills, I could spend any 5-figure sum in a single day.
[0] Personally, I'm more interested in recurring revenue, so successful for me is either profitable and stable to support the founders and employees or a large acquisition. A 4- or 5-figure acquisition is less appealing because truthfully, between my mortgage, student loans, and other bills, I could spend any 5-figure sum in a single day.