I've decided to only build on platforms from now on. You know why - the amount of marketing you have to do to reach people when you are not on a platform is hug

I've decided to only build on platforms from now on. You know why - the amount of marketing you have to do to reach people when you are not on a platform is huge. For people who have a marketer in their team, avoiding platforms may be a bad idea, for those who don't platforms will help you. It's like selling craft through a website vs selling it through etsy. You are seeing the issue too strongly through the lens of your own abilities. Try to see how it works for other people.