I respectfully agree with many of the comments here, but I can also recognize the value and effort of someone sharing their experience. It shows character, boldness and opens up dialogue. People are central to any effort in accomplishing a certain goal, even if it is a single individual. Organization is meant to facilitate the joint effort in accomplishing the common goals in a structured and systematic way. Having had the experience of taking technical leadership without the title or stake on the company, I still value people who actually care. And that is precisely what I can extract from reading this post. Keep the genuine love for the craft going, don't let yourself down by people who don't get it.