Is starting a small business the best way to achieve financial independence?

I guess "best" is kind of a loaded term here. Being an entrepreneur is the way to achieve the "best" kind of financial independence where you can have a truly resilient financial state. But it's not the easiest to get there of course!

I think, yes. Until you work for someone, you will always earn as much as they are ready to pay you.

Absolutely! I started a business and now run it completely remotely. I'm financially independent and I like it. No regrets. Of course, I can't say that the process was very easy and took one day, but modern technologies make it much easier. I used Google for most of my questions. At first, I figured out the advantages and disadvantages of a sole trader and a private company. Then I chose a name. Later, I discovered how to check if a company is legally registered in the uk (here this guide https://www.hoxtonmix.com/blog/a... provided me with all the needed info). I decided to set up a virtual office and use its address for registration and mailing. It also eased the process. Now I can say that everything is possible if you really want it.