Absolutely. If one knows how to find and retain customers in the first 90 days or less, and doesn't lease a new Mercedes and buy lots of fancy office $#@&, they can have positive cash flow and a profit. I've done it several times in my career in various ways.

It's the primary way I was able to convince my wife for the last 39 years that I didn't need to get a "real job!"

I still consult.

The key is learning to find pain, problems, and help clients solve them without being a dolp.