I’ve tried, it’s far harder to find and succeed in a global marketplace. While I do live in a metro, it’s a small one that cannot sustain an income close to my day job.

If you’re a tradesmen you’re never going to compete with Eastern Europe, LATAM, India, or anywhere global.

That's true; my private contracting has always been done via connections. I reach out to coworkers from previous jobs and ask if they need any work, and sometimes they do.

Cold-calling to get work would definitely be harder because you definitely are competing with much cheaper labor.