You can have a small independent business. Buy a backhoe and become and excavator. Learn how to build custom cabinets. You will need to hire people from time t

You can have a small independent business. Buy a backhoe and become and excavator. Learn how to build custom cabinets. You will need to hire people from time to time, but you won’t have to work in concert with anyone 40 hours a week. In software, the best examples I see of that are in video games. Lots of solo developers. Hard to succeed but if you want it enough, the path is clear. There are solo web developers too. But you need to be able to do sales and support. You’re right startups are out because they grow and you’ll find yourself surrounded soon enough. I guess my advice is treat your jobs like daily networking events, try to find people, especially with complementary skill sets, who you like and who like you. Have a side project, a game or a web dev company or whatever, and wait for a large enough revenue opportunity that you can incorporate and hire one of those people you got along with. Problem is, the networking at work thing is nearly impossible if you’re as independent as you are. I’d recommend counseling. A therapist and/or career coach. Ideally both.