Corporations are famous for buying up businesses and land that are failing or unused. Perhaps the author did this with people - friends, girlfriends, in distress. He tried to change them, improve them, make them profitable in some way... He's been patient, but his resources are exhausted. Now he's cutting back - either because he's selfish and only wants what's useful to himself/his "brand," or because he's realized he's expending so much on these people who will never improve themselves, and he needs to focus on himself for a while.
Corporations are famous for buying up businesses and land that are failing or unused. Perhaps the author did this with people - friends, girlfriends, in distress. He tried to change them, improve them, make them profitable in some way... He's been patient, but his resources are exhausted. Now he's cutting back - either because he's selfish and only wants what's useful to himself/his "brand," or because he's realized he's expending so much on these people who will never improve themselves, and he needs to focus on himself for a while.