Unless your definition of a "modest lifestyle" includes driving a Lamborghini (http://www.google.com/search?q=dhh+lamborghini http://www.google.com/search?q=dhh

Unless your definition of a "modest lifestyle" includes driving a Lamborghini (http://www.google.com/search?q=dhh+lamborghini http://www.google.com/search?q=dhh+lamborghini), I'd say 37signals is doing very well financially. And that's probably because they're intentionally staying small, not in spite of it.