I have followed this path the past 15 years. I am nowhere close to generating enough revenue to really not need contracting. The issue I have with my industry i

I have followed this path the past 15 years. I am nowhere close to generating enough revenue to really not need contracting. The issue I have with my industry is that pushing innovative products is very hard, so you end up making me-too style products with your own take on it. So basically 90% the same as what other people are making. This becomes very boring, because as an engineer or designer I want to contribute something new and unique, basically an entirely new product different from what competitors are selling. So anyway, in the end I am in a situation where I need to make me-too products which I have zero interest in to be financially succesful, or choose to do the groundbreaking interesting stuff and have a really hard time making money. To be succesful with innovative products you need big marketing budgets.