I graduated in chemistry 12 years ago, and never used my degree. I started a business instead, so I have decent science and business skills, and a little money saved up. I'm thinking about buying some equipment, training myself to use it, and then soliciting companies for my services. What's the demand like for independent analytical testing? Do companies just do everything in-house, or is it possible to get jobs as a small company nobody has heard of? How expensive are the consumables and machine maintenance? I know the machines are pretty pricey, but they seem like a reasonable investment.