I once had a professor who believed that if you are not directly impacting revenues at your company, you should find another job. For most companies, revenues result from two things: sales and marketing. Maybe if you are the lead product developer, or primary service provider you also directly impact revenues — but not always. In the world of 9 to 5 jobs, you need to get yourself as close to the revenue cycle as possible. If you want the company to think of you as a long-term investment, you must figure out how to make yourself essential to the firm’s lifeblood. By doing so, you greatly increase your monetary worth and ability to leverage your position to achieve future freedoms.