[Captain Ahab Jr]

I've read a lot of great advice on this board so thought I'd put this out there....

I know there are quite a few people on here that decided to stop working for the 'man' and set up their own thing. Or were forced to stop working for a company and decided to create their own thing.

I'm interested to know what made you go brave and strike out on your own rather than carrying on with the security of working for a company.

Also did you have any regrets, what were they or do you wish you had done it sooner?

Reason I ask is even though I have a secure job, working on stuff that interests me, with people I like, for people that want to keep me as long as I want to stay, I keep thinking I should jump out of the boat into the water to see where it takes me as its all starting to feel too comfortable.

I'm don't want to set up my own company but work inside other companies to help them push forward and improve. I guess the role I'm thinking of is as an engineering/deign or project management consultant. I have a very specialized +20yr career history working in a variety of senior roles for a number of world known brand names in one of the most competitive design/engineering environments there is.

I'm sure my experience, knowledge, attitude, strengths, working methodology would be of interest and benefit many high technology companies in different industry sectors eg green energy, aerospace/military, automotive, sporting goods, marine, motorsport etc but am unsure of how I go about making contact with the right person in each company and then selling myself into a job.

As always on this board I'm looking forward to some good advice and feel free to be the Devil's advocate when replying.