They did not have the money to survive long term. They had a business that generated cash flows. There's a huge difference. They didn't inherit it.
My point is, you can do the exact same thing. If you have the talent, consult. Tens of thousands of developers spend their entire lives freelancing. Consulting dev work is not a crazy pipe dream. Now, instead of dropping all your 1099 wages into your bank account, create an LLC, get it an ING account, and send your money there. Hire. BANG. Now you're a business. Go do something cool.
Sounds sensible, but... how common is it, really? If it isn't, what's the missing ingredient that makes it a difficult transition that many people never seem to accomplish?
My point is, you can do the exact same thing. If you have the talent, consult. Tens of thousands of developers spend their entire lives freelancing. Consulting dev work is not a crazy pipe dream. Now, instead of dropping all your 1099 wages into your bank account, create an LLC, get it an ING account, and send your money there. Hire. BANG. Now you're a business. Go do something cool.