Ask HN: How to get started as contractor/consultant in niche area?

Next year I’m finishing my PhD in a pretty niche (though crucial) subfield of an area that’s grown tremendously in the last few years (perception for autonomous vehicles) and my colleagues have all got awesome offers from various companies in this space (we’ve all interned at a few of them) and I’m excited to join them in the Bay Area next year.

However, my ultimate dream is to buy a house in a pretty rural area in my parents’ home state and work remotely/be a contractor/consultant. Tentatively my plan is to put in 4-5 years working at startups and big cos until I have the experience necessary for this (I assume that autonomy won’t be solved by then!)

What can do I now to start preparing for this? What kind skills should I be building? I’ll definitely ask around to see if I can meet any contractors who are doing this in my field as it strikes me as not too common.