The problem is ... where to go once you do this? Let's say you get (very) high wage sorted. Not C-level, so close to $200k, and over a long time it'll go to $35

The problem is ... where to go once you do this? Let's say you get (very) high wage sorted. Not C-level, so close to $200k, and over a long time it'll go to $350k. You get some side income through the stock market and property (which as it turns out was the right choice: property works better with $ (because mortgages have ridiculous leverage and are very low risk), stock market works a lot better with $$$, and there's a large space in between where property matters only in that owning the place you live in helps a lot). You do the tax optimization (which matters more and more the further you get, and starts being the main factor at a surprisingly "low" wage. I guarantee that anyone making $100k can make more with tax optimization than with a promotion). But promotion, even in the very best of places, with quite good taxes, has very diminishing returns. A promotion takes new skills, more work, and let's say a 10% bump in salary (higher percentage increases seem to only happen at the low end. I got a 180% wage increase at one point but now that would be ridiculous). I mean I guess there's the executive promotion but I have no idea how people get that. These executives certainly aren't smarter or more effective than I am, so ... There comes a point, surprisingly low (let's say $200k a year), where chasing promotion is just not worth it, as a 10% before tax raise will only get you 2-3% actual more money. And generally speaking even the $350k or so I'll eventually probably get to will only get me $60k or so more income. I get the impression the only real way up at this point is starting a company, or at least starting to work for a company I have significant ownership in. Plus I fantasize it comes with more independence (although I lead teams now for more than a decade. Any illusions of control you have as a TL or manager didn't really survive). Truth is that I'd be surprisingly strongly affected if I were to get fired, and while I've always been able to find a new higher paying job rapidly (I left a lot of jobs early in my career because I found something better. "A lot" is about 6 btw, over now 17 years, not counting effective job changes while consulting), and I hate the risk this represents. I also don't think that'll happen, but there are certainly circumstances that would cause just this. So starting a company. Something. But how to do that?