I unintentionally backed my way into my own business. Back during the dot com bust, the large consultancy I worked for went bust, and I went back to the small c

I unintentionally backed my way into my own business. Back during the dot com bust, the large consultancy I worked for went bust, and I went back to the small consultancy I'd previously worked for. Then, after 9/11, they went bust. The economy was in rough shape, and I was only getting interviews for junior positions. Meanwhile, friends were calling to say 'Could you come do this gig for a month or two?' Having plenty of free time, I read up on how to start and run a business (Nolo Press is a great resource), set up an LLC, printed business cards, worked hard at the gigs I got, and kept my ear to the ground for new ones. I'd kept good relations with my previous bosses and co-workers, and wound up working for five years running my own little consulting shop (That might be my suggestion: keep up with your old bosses and co-workers, and see if they're aware of any suitable opportunities). Life circumstances changed, and it made sense to go back to work for somebody, eventually, but I found the experience, and the confidence it built, to be invaluable.