I'd like to think I know the situation you're in. A few years ago, I chose not to go to college and instead jump into freelancing. However, doing the odd website here and there wasn't the ticket to success because clients can and do dry up, plus there's the overhead of finding them in the first place. So, I started looking to form relationships with companies rather than small business owners, and now things keep looking better.

All the time, I read on HN about _things_, but never about _people_. I'm glad you shared this, because it reminds me there are humans here after all. Everyone wants to paint their life in the best light, but it's rarely true.