Is it better to start a company now, or get a job first?

Students ask this question all the time and obviously there’s no right answer. The case for starting now is that you don’t have a lot to lose. Some day you’ll have a job making a lot of money and then it will be harder to walk away. The case for waiting is that you’ll gain experience and contacts in a job that will make you more likely to succeed in a startup down the road.

I’m in my forties and let me tell you – this question never really resolves itself. My friends and I still ask ourselves these sorts of questions all the time. Since there’s no single correct path to having a career you’re happy with I tell students not to overthink it too much. Be bold, try the things you’re interested in, and be ready to make a change if you know it’s not right.

The story you’re going to hear is from Dawn Verbrigghe, founder and CEO of Jottful.

Dawn has a fine arts degree from the University of Michigan and took a winding path to becoming a technology entrepreneur. After college she lived in Southern California, Northern California, New York, London, and Amman, Jordan.

But before we jump ahead let’s hear about how Dawn grew up and what some of her early influences were.

Music credit: Thank you, Grammatik!