I can relate (in a way) to what you are saying. Many years ago I used to work for (simply as an employee) a software development company. The Company was young but doing well. We were small in number but enjoying the work, the internal tight family feel.

Eventually with success came expansion = wagons of new employees
Eventually bigger publisher bought the Company... then another bigger fish bought that publisher, then again... :)

From a small group of developers, it became a sort of colder, corporate style life. No closeness. Colder internal relations.

Yes, bigger income. But it wasn't as much fun.