I guess my advice to folks always is this: be passionate about what you do, treat everyone you encounter with respect and good humor, work your ass off and don't expect anything to be easy. It's always easier to keep a client than find a new one, but a bad client will make you crazy so sometimes you just have to jump off the cliff and walk away. A huge part of the job is finding people that look at life the same way you do; if there's not a good match, they'll move on and so will you.
My only client now is an organization called Lynden. They have trucks and barges and hovercraft and C-130's and operate mostly in Alaska and the Pacific Northwest. Some of the nicest people I've ever met, and we have a great time working together.
I'll be 60 this year and have been goal-free for all of my adult life. I'm happily married to another creative soul with a similar lack of goals. We always seem to have food in the house and some sort of adventure on the horizon, so it's all good.
I haven't done any decent urban shooting or worked with people for a while, and that is starting to nag at me...
Lincoln City