Entrepreneurs seem to be getting lower average returns with much higher risk. Barton Hamilton of Washington University found that the median earnings of an entrepreneur were 35 percent less than the median salaried worker.  The costs of the start-up life can be insanely high.

There have been many attempted explanations for why people might launch themselves into a start-up career despite these dismal average results. They might be irrational, overestimating their own chances of success, might be lured by the small chance of a huge payoff,  might simply love the lifestyle of running a business or be driven to find out if their pet idea really has legs.  Read More>>