Interesting, thanks! I feel like that kind of confirms my position: you're not someone who has the same passion for coding, you have a stronger passion for building, leading and selling tech companies, which is why you've done that multiple times.
I've never been a founding engineer, but typically a direct report to founding engineers.
The people I worked with in your position were either like you (e.g. enjoyed programming but clearly got a big rush from the business and money side too) or they were genuinely just pure passionate programmers and miserable, as their role takes them away from that.
First company with 23, sold with 33.
Second + third company founded with 36, sold at 46.
I was the software engineer in the founders team, built alot by myself, even in the last years with a tech department of 30 people.
After doing nothing for 1.5 years, I am back with a new startup, being the only developer. Because I love it, and I am good at it!
It's my passion...