I gained all of these above qualities by working for 6 years, becoming jaded and burnt out, leaving the PhD program, and then finally repurposing myself. Other than the projects you specifically worked on and the papers you published what can you say the greatest advantage over someone in my situation would be?

I understand the grind as a tool for personal sharpening better than a successful graduate would because it is all I have to take from the experience - no plaudits, no social or familial approval, no resume bullet (rather more like a gaping resume maw, depending upon the attitude of the person reading it).