I see two basic paths, Corporate/Enterprise or Startup. One requires insane amounts of ladder climbing and political posturing but may have better(more stable) base pay. The startup path may be a bit more risky but could get you there faster. You can start a company that you believe has a good chance of being acquired (I suggest something that falls in the 500k-5 million range) That could drastically reduce the timeline. I think you would learn more about the actual job vs getting caught up in all the politics associated with mid to large sized companies as you move towards your goal.