Alternative investing strategies for NYC Analyst

I'm a 22-year-old analyst just starting my career in NYC, and I'm looking for some advice on investing strategies that can help me grow as an individual. I understand that it's expensive to live in NYC as an analyst, and I may be a little too optimistic to even believe that I can save money, but I'm comfortable living an extremely frugal life. I've never really had money before, so I don't see "lifestyle inflation" coming into play.

I'm not interested in the typical 7% annualized returns that many people my age might settle for. I'm willing to take risks as long as they can provide me with valuable experiences and help me learn more about the business world.

One idea I've been considering is investing in startups while simultaneously providing advisory services for those companies. I understand that this is a risky strategy and that I could potentially lose thousands of dollars, but I believe the experience I would gain from helping these companies would be invaluable. I also think that this could potentially lead to more lucrative opportunities down the line.

I'm curious if anyone has tried a similar approach, and if so, what guidelines you would recommend following to ensure that I don't screw myself over in my 30s and beyond. Are there any key factors I should consider when evaluating startup opportunities? How can I balance risk and reward in my investment portfolio?

I appreciate any insights or advice you can offer. Thanks in advance!