I’m working closely with some founders as they seek to add a co-founder. We’ve been interviewing candidates together and just finished a call to review the folks with whom we’ve met.

The founders talked about one person whom they like but with whom they couldn’t make the numbers work. This person is divorced. His salary needs are high because he maintains two homes and also is on the hook for child and ex-spouse support. So, a start-up salary unfortunately doesn’t work for him.

It made me wonder about “windows of opportunity” for entrepreneurship.  I know some founders who are in their 20s and have very low cash burn rates. They’re in a great position to start a company. I also know of older founders who have some financial cushion which they can use to develop a new company idea. They too are in a great position.

So, we often hear about these types of entrepreneurs: the younger and the older. But, is there another segmentation: single, married and divorced? I don’t have the answer, but does divorce prevent many people from starting companies?