"Where are the good old days, when it was all about learning, and being something people aspire to, instead of just being a business entity that gets funded by all the big names in the VC arena, and goes on to make a profit, but not really do something awesome?"<p>The problem is that money and profit are the life-blood of your company. Many things of value are difficult to turn into a profitable business.<p>I think of how to make a profit..and then build something of value around it. My current company has been profitable from day one because it started with the business model. I don't even choose to work ideas that don't have a business model.