MrFoof, while reading your answer i felt am reading my current situation.
I am a database Architect and a Data warehouse Developer, Develop ETLs, Cubes and what goes around it and mainly use Microsoft Technology for that, am now totally burned out from my current job, i feel so tired from the routine, i want to take the step and move into my own thing were i can consult and grow on my own.
i find it much easier for Programmers, Wepapp developers, iphone of android to find jobs, but for us Database/datawarehouse pros i really don't know where to start from with clients.
if i may ask, how did you start and approached Clients, Data is very sensitive, clients don't usually allow outsiders to look into it, how did you overcome those challanges
you need Database, and analysis tools
like MsSQL server with analysis services
and you need pivot tables to view the data and do data mining and deep analysis