I was very much your typical computer geek. Started programming in assembly in the 80s in middle school, loved programming, etc.

But, too often, I see business owners taking advantage of developers who have “passion” and drink the kool-aid and are getting underpaid and overworked and then the company has an exit and the owners get rich and rtf developers get very little.

Or there is an acquihire. Even in the case of failure, the contacts and the industry connections that the founder makes leave them with a relatively soft landing.