When Perceptions of Opportunities Cost Money ?

There seems to be a New era or definition of the word opportunity, my basic understanding is opportunities is a chance to advance or further ones career or life ! The perception now in busineess opportunities is, you pay me for a service and what you make of it is your own payday ?  How is that opportunity ? That example is just a business investment of one person getting paid by you up front and you have to rely on your own !  Opportunity to me is hey we want to invest in you or your company, we believe in you so we will put up the resources first and you put in the work and we can all get paid at the same time ? May be I from a different generation or out of the loop but back in the day if some one was really interested they would pay you up front !