You're probably right. I guess I'm looking at a visible divide in skill and knowledge occuring in my friends right now and trying to find some sort of casual factor. While casting people along the 'startup/big-company' variable gives some immediate separation, it's by no means the only factor.
When I do the same exercise, it seems to come down to not much more than hard work. The more skilled and knowledgeable people are those that generally work hard and persevere through difficult challenges.
