I've long thought that developers don't realize how much value they really have. If they're in the right place, they're wickedly underpaid for the value they create.
I also did the same with another company that had a failing subscription platform built by cheap foreign contractors. Built a talented team and a real platform and that company also successfully exited for 10 figures. You get what you pay for.
This is what you "sacrifice" for a predictable paycheck... think you're worth more? You can always try making it on your own.
A simple example: a crappy $500 beater may have immense value because it gets me to work every day, even if the door is held closed by a coat hanger and I have plastic sheet taped over the missing back window.
The value you create just puts a ceiling on the equilibrium pay.
Simple thought experiment. I have a button that creates a million dollars anytime it's pressed. How much should/do I need to pay for somebody to sit there and press it all day? In fact you can probably pay minimum wage because low skill work and easy to find people.
That being said, as an employee you can leverage the unique value you provide into higher pay, assuming you're able to persuade your employer. E.g. imagine you could press the button twice as fast as anybody else... Suddenly you're in a strong position to negotiate for a million dollars per press.
But the value you provide has to be unique relative to the labor market. Looking at unique value, and ability to convince others of that unique value, is more relevant than the absolute value you create.