Be careful what you wish for. Solving harder problems for cash still comes with the expectation to solve those problems on a timeline, in a way that delivers value for the business writing your paycheck.
It sounds like you and your buddies may be experiencing nostalgia for the days when coding was a hobby and not a livelihood. The fun/hobby part is a fraction of the work of starting a new business—most of which is at least as boring as writing CRUD apps.
I switched to consulting/contract work and now have the freedom to work without supervision, no expectation of managing people, the ability to pick which projects I will tackle, and loads more free time (because of a higher hourly rate + nobody expecting me to keep a seat warm).
It sounds like you and your buddies may be experiencing nostalgia for the days when coding was a hobby and not a livelihood. The fun/hobby part is a fraction of the work of starting a new business—most of which is at least as boring as writing CRUD apps.
I switched to consulting/contract work and now have the freedom to work without supervision, no expectation of managing people, the ability to pick which projects I will tackle, and loads more free time (because of a higher hourly rate + nobody expecting me to keep a seat warm).