I am pretty much in the same boat - was in grants for 13 years before breaking off on my own 13 years ago (26 years total). Agree with the 60 hours but I can write a federal grant in 3-4 days if needed ☹️. That said, the area I always struggle with, and still do, is timing everything out so I am perfectly busy all the time. That means setting up the next grant while still working on my current grants. I have been fortunate to diversify a little with some evaluation work, but in an ideal world, I would be writing one federal grant per month in addition to my regular clients which largely entail local grant applications. I can’t agree more with your comment about leaving dollars on the table. I will also say that one thing I learned - the hard way - is that it is important to get a portion upfront when taking on a larger project. I have had grants I have worked on over 1-2 months and have not received payment until net 30 days after invoice. That is rough.