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Depends on your goals:
If you’re looking for steady income (as evidenced by your desire to avoid layoffs), I would not sink time and money into something that may not pay off.
If you’re looking to maximize your wealth/earnings, maybe. But they’re aren’t any low hanging fruit. Solving problems at scale and making money is going to be hard… the idea is the easiest part -> problems are everywhere!
I'm also a web developer/manager and have done occasional client work for the past 2 1/2 years. After getting laid off in June, it's been a blessing to have client work to help slow the financial bleed while I continue to look for a new job.
But to be completely honest, it's not easy to find enough work to do it full-time, especially in the beginning. And now that I'm unemployed, I feel guilty building my company when I should be blasting my resume and looking for steady income.
I recommend doing it while you're employed. Build up your clientele and your reputation as a side gig until you feel confident enough to go self-employed full-time.