[kohanz]

I've had a blast in the succeeding years - making a better income most years and getting to do things I enjoy

Are you saying that you co-founded a startup that went public, grew to a couple of hundred employees, and it wasn't a financial windfall for you? I'm honestly curious if you're willing to provide more details.

[ghenne]

Think of a Balance Sheet vs. Profit and Loss. Yes, I had a good base of assets after I left. But after that, I wanted to make sure I made more than I spent. Too many founders get lucky and blow it all. Think about sustainability.

Doing what you want, having no employees, and generating enough income for all your fun is a worthy goal!

[nikanj]

I think he's talking about salary, which tends to go up when you're not a major shareholder. They have to motivate you to stay with a higher base pay/bonuses, when they can't trust you to stay because you care for the company.