I'm 10 years older than you. Through various things happening around me I had an opportunity last year to go self employed (I've only ever been salaried) and run my own business. I had a lot of pressure put on me by colleagues who told me my clients would be picked off by competitors and I wouldn't have a business etc etc

In the end I took all bar one client with me and will this year near triple my previous salary. It's been a huge learning curve and really hard work but I didn't want to look back in years to come and think "what if ?". If I get fed up with it and am still able to keep all my clients, I'm confident I could walk back into salaried employment at another company if I wanted to.

Go for it. If it doesn't work out or you don't like it you can always come back; nothing is ever permanent.