Ask HN: Aspiring freelancer seeks advice on finding potential customers

I think a lot of businesses have large amounts of data that they need processed but don't know where to go for help. I am considering starting a freelance career using Hadoop to help companies outside of the software industry with their data analysis needs. But I am unsure how to gather leads.

Any response is very appreciated:

* I've heard that it is a good idea to target a specific industry. Any suggestions of industries with a particular need for data analysis?

* One strategy for gathering leads is just to bite the bullet and start cold-calling. Any better ideas for finding potential customers?

* Does anybody have success stories gathering consulting leads outside of the software industry?