Whether hungry for money or hungry for success, you're then missing hiring candidates who aren't "hungry" because they have a proven track record at having done very well financially from a series of successes.
At this point, they don't need money or validation, they just figure they can help you solve things and are talking to you because they enjoy solving new things.
Hungry is overrated when what you need is focus on solving the business' problems. This is one reason VC like to see founders take "shelter money" off the table early.
Someone who has sufficient self-made wealth to retire, or nearly retire, but who is still looking to work for you as a developer I would certainly describe as "hungry" in this context. But I'm mostly interpreting that term to mean "passionate" about the intellectual and creative aspects of the job.
Point taken. Sometimes I walk out of an interview and say to myself that the candidate did well, but just did not convince me that he/she really wanted the job. It may just be my personal perspective, but candidates that really stick the landing with me are ones that have that "let me at 'em coach!" attitude.
