I work from home for a profitable business-to-business startup servicing the payments underwriting industry. I did not know such an industry existed before working on this project, and the job came through my alumni network on LinkedIn. I just started my fifth year with this organization. My responsibilities include everything engineering; everyone else focuses sales.

I've met one of the three co-founders twice, first for an interview and second for a weekend with his family. All three co-founders join me five days a week for a brief standup/scrum and one day each week we include a sales and strategy update.

They pay in the range of my market value and have steadily increased my equity share of the enterprise. I supplement that income by teaching sea kayak technique and rescue year-round and snowboard instruction in the winter.

I try to put in at least four hours of work every day, including weekends, and balance that with four hours of year-round kayaking, hiking, house-work, seasonal snow-sports, or some other physical activity.

I do this "job" to keep my brain sharp and hope to continue well past the point of typical retirement. The same applies for my non-"job" activities. If I did not need to worry about saving for retirement, I would probably still do this. The joy comes from solving problems, not from stacking cash.

Become the low-key hero your co-workers need.

p.s. I started kayaking seriously twelve years ago because I would see these people in their 70s surfing big waves in 16' boats. "That's what I want to be when I grow up, that or retired!"