As a 20 year freelancer myself, a side project is a good way to go. But if that takes off and starts requiring more structure, more resources, and eventually overtakes the day job, it essentially becomes a startup.
Sorry, i meant "startup" in terms of "company predicated on exponential growth". If you have a small business where you're the boss, you just grow it slowly how you you want. But as a startup founder, your surrounding circumstances essentially are dictating what you have to do in order to get that exponential growth. Your customers are your boss, your board is your boss, the market is your boss.
