Note: I can only speak for my industry (penetration testing and antimalware) so YMMV Last month at DC4420 (the London monthly DEF CON chapter meeting): <dude

Note: I can only speak for my industry (penetration testing and antimalware) so YMMV Last month at DC4420 (the London monthly DEF CON chapter meeting): <dude from corporate security firm>: How many people do you have at Mandalorian? <iuguy>: 6 <dude from corporate security firm>: Really? I always thought you guys were bigger? So it's more of a lifestyle firm? <iuguy>: If by lifestyle firm you mean a company that treats it's people well for doing a good job - as well as they could do on their own - then yes. If you mean a firm that's focused on doing a good job doing work we enjoy instead of chasing cash and ticking boxes all day long, then yes. Probably the most successful example of this I've seen in my industry are these guys: http://www.pentestpartners.co.uk/ http://www.pentestpartners.co.uk/ I think http://www.fbtechies.co.uk/ http://www.fbtechies.co.uk/ was the first I knew of, but amongst us there's quite a few and it seems as though we're growing. I think the realisation of having a niche skillset combined with commercial ability makes for a compelling enough value proposition for people to go it alone outside the conventional areas. We don't all need to be multibillionaires (although some do). For some of us it's the choice between working on yet another PCI box ticking exercise, or charming the pants off some cool experimental tech. I would like to add though that the article really needs some data to back it up. While there's plenty of anecdata from patio11, peldi and (to some extent although I'm obviously not in the same league as those guys) me, a source of actual information would really blow the doors off.