I wouldn't base your career change on the experience of your friends. You assume that because your friends are cheaper, that they'd have more business. I'd argu

I wouldn't base your career change on the experience of your friends. You assume that because your friends are cheaper, that they'd have more business. I'd argue the opposite: 1. If you are bottom-end expensive, you get cut quickly. (e.g. $10k speaking engagement) 2. If you are middle-end expensive, you get cut... but not as quickly. (e.g. $20-30k) 3. If you are high-end expensive, you get cut dead last. My husband and I did very specific, highly sought-after freelance services in the realm of visualization design/JavaScript. We are definitely high-end expensive. As the economy went into the shitter, we only got more and more work. Why? Because clients/customers often feel that the low-end and mid-end expensive people don't fully pay for themselves. Those people are basically getting "excess" budget, as opposed to being truly sought after. Or they are a consolation prize: "Well, we could get Tony Robbins but he's $80k, then again, there's this dude, he's kinda interesting, how do you feel about $10K?" Once even that $10k may be a stretch, they decide not to hire anyone at all.