I can bootstrap consulting, can't software.

On top of that consulting opens door, you get very valuable insight inside certain industries and get paid for it.

Also, I'm sure I'm not the only one who is not interested in the slightest in building a unicorn or dealing with investors/VCs.

Building software with no clients requires capital, I'd rather keep mine for my family rather than burn it in the wind into something that is most likely to fail.