There's a cultural divide between those attitudes - comfortable is the enemy of startups? Well, then call it something else. It isn't a bad thing - in fact in the end all you can live is your one life, whether in a corporation, startup or consulting. If you've built a cocoon around yourself in the form of a consulting business, its as good a cocoon as one in any other place. Better than some; it doesn't depend upon the whim of VCs or a board.