Thank HN: 7 months ago, I asked for help. Now I've got 5 employees.
its stories like this which have been very encouraging in my own venture.<p>a comment on the cost of living in the united states, and how to do it cheaply. i live in oakland, california - in the heart of the san francisco bay area. my cost of living is incredibly low, my rent is $300, utilities are about $90 a month and that includes power and 1MB network connection. i ride a bike everywhere i go, don't own a car. i cook all my own food, i purchase organic produce for cheap at the local farmers market.<p>my entire monthly living expenses are less than 500 dollars, in a location where i can get to financial district of san francisco in about 14 minutes.<p>my business venture is based in my bedroom, my tech co-founder lives in mendocino county. we're currently in product development phase creating an analytical system for precision viticulture. we're getting ready to start our first adventures in funding.<p>reading stories about people buckling down, focusing on their ventures, and achieving success has (for lack of a better term) inspired me. hacker news and the whole entrepreneurial community in the bay area have been key to informing my decisions.