[petercooper]

Even as a developer, I'm pretty sure I'd have trouble turning down a huge paycheck to go work for a reputable company. I've never built anything that's had a huge fan base though.

The situation when you have built a big fan base or other sort of "attention" asset is that taking a job is surprisingly risky.

I had this situation with a potential acquirer. The job was awesome, the company was great, but the goodwill and potential I've built up is too valuable to part with lightly. Why? The worst case is you get bought out at too low a cost and then, for whatever reason, you're out of a job a month later. Now you have a little pile of money in the bank and.. back to square one. That's a risk regular employed folks don't have.

This is why most talent acquisitions are in the 7 or 8 figures. It's enough money to eradicate the risk of taking on a full time job and losing one's hard-built business assets for most people (even low 7 figures each is enough to pay off mortgages, cars, and have healthy savings).

[dangrover]

This. I sold out (Etude), worked for a year or so, and now I just have money (not seven figures though). Have been floundering ever since trying to put together the next thing. Having runway kind of makes it worse, even.

[petercooper]

Whoa! The music app? I remember seeing that for the first time, had no idea Steinway picked it up. Congratulations man.

I had a similar situation with one of my first businesses. Low six figure acquisition and then.. oh, what do I do now? It took me almost 4 years to figure it out(!) and now I'm back on my feet again. Good luck!