It's interesting because it seems like this isn't "the way" anymore -- now the market is full of companies that have valuations in the tens of billions before actually throwing off the first dollar of profit (if they ever actually do).<p>There's nothing inherently wrong with a maximal-growth strategy -- and in some ways, the highly competitive funding market has pushed founders in that direction whether they prefer it or not -- but that is an inherently riskier and lossier strategy (doomed companies get much farther, and burn much more money, before flaming out).<p>I have a feeling, though, that underlying market conditions are changing again in a way that will make ramen profitability more desirable again.