[davewritescode]

I just want to point out that engineers are in no way the "peasant" cast in any organization that's worth its salt. If you feel that way, I'd look for a new job.

In most tech companies, senior engineers make as much if not more than senior managers. It's not until you get to the director level that you probably start passing engineers in salary.

I think you need a better job before you decide to bootstrap your own company. A little change would probably be good for you.

[mywittyname]

And a good company will have (former) engineers in senior leadership. Most of the tech companies I've worked for (non-fangs) had former engineers up to the CTO/CDO/CIO level. Not exclusively, but there was a pretty good chance that the manager or director of a technology department used to work in the salt mines.