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Comment by spamalot159 | Hacker News Reader

Its a no-brainer for most. Put in a couple years of work, cash out big, go live the dream. Every incentive aligns with this though process so why stop doing it now?

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Why would you want to cash out out of something you love? These kind of businesses struggle. But when you have a rich parents, they you come up with some start up idea, hire a team of people to make it - then yes cashing out is a win. But those people don't look at it as business, as a real thing that adds value for other people, but pure selfishly as showing themselves they can pull this off. These people also often steal ideas from people who care and love what they do. Often those people become wage slaves in those rich daddy companies.

Because you might love security for your family’s future more than your work. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. You can always start another company.

Then don't cash out. But that's usually a fantasy. Nobody is really "passionate about enterprise saas" or whatever the marketing says.

Founders are interested in control and eventual (financial) freedom, and tend to like building an organization in general. An acquisition provides that freedom while allowing them to build something else in the future with even better circumstances.

At some point in his life Larry Ellison was passionate about something as mundane as a database.

Database engines are cooler (and harder) than 95-99% of the stuff that people on HN build.

Was he? Or was it the opportunity to create a business around new tech and the eventual riches it brought? It seems his real passion is buying islands and racing boats.

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