The problem with growing a consulting business is the only way to grow is to hire people. Consulting is often feast or famine. During the lean times if you have an employee you're going to need to keep paying them or they (rightfully so) will leave.

I have been a one-man-show consultant for about 12 years and just this year I have decided that I've had enough. Fat/thin times, clients who hate to pay even for good work, fighting the rest of the world in a race to the bottom, never working on one thing long enough to make it into something great, being the first to be let go when a client has tough times.

It's a bitch being a software consultant.

I'm going to build a product and wind down my business, I'm done.

Just yesterday I came across this video of Steve Jobs talking about consulting, it really hit home for me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1F0DC66zwE

He's right, you never quite get deep enough. It's a shallow existence. I've worked for some of the worlds biggest brands and you know what? Nobody gives a shit. They just think you are expensive when they see all that. Seriously I've worked on 100 brands you'd recognize; nobody cares. Big clients squeeze you and small clients don't have the money.

The key was always having a few good clients to keep you going but then you are just basically working a job, right?

I make good money but I'm tired of the grind. I can't work in a reguar job, so, I'm going to grow a product.

Sorry about the rant. I hope you can learn something from the 12 years I just spent asking the questions you are asking.