[cynusx]

You seem very focussed on the money-side of the equation, however for most people job satisfaction consists of more things like feeling part of a team, being friends with colleagues and growing as an individual. e.g. some companies enable you to solve problems you cannot do anywhere else, or allow you responsibility that you wouldn't have anywhere else.

Maybe the easiest to identify what would make you more satisfied with a job is to think what job you would sign up for if you suddenly have all your money needs solved (aka win the lottery).

The high risk of becoming an entrepreneur is exactly why the labour market is not allocating profits to employees, if it were very easy to build a successful company that can employ others then a lot of people would go and do just that. consequently, the war for talent would ensure profits go to the few people willing to work for somebody else.

[amiuba]

That's the thing... I've worked at many different places (startups come and go fast), and I've never worked on something that I felt very strongly about. I was always solving someone else's problems while making someone else money.

If I had enough money to live, I would quit writing software for money instantly. I have a few side projects in various states of neglect and I'd much rather work on these for free than solving yet another meaningless corporate or business problem.

But I can't do that yet, because I like sleeping in a bed under a roof and eating food.

I get the risk/reward thing, but I think that one side has too much power and reaps too much profit from it.