J. made a great point in that you'll find pretty much the same thing wherever you go. I live in an area loaded with studios, everything from multi-million-dollar to basement DAWs, and you'd be amazed at how small the industry really is... everyone knows each other, and rather than fighting it, i've found it better to just do my thing and let the results speak for themselves.
There's a pretty large studio nearby that is very well known and is a first-call place for just about every band in the rock/punk/hardcore/emo/bullshit genre... I used to feel intimidated, like they were the bad guy that i had to beat or something. Since then, i've grown a bit, gotten to know the fine gentlemen at said establishment, and have realized my original feelings were childish and based on insecurity. That studio has raised the bar overall in this area and has helped bands realize the difference between quality and crap, which in turn has helped me. Rather than attempt to compete, i've carved my own little niche, and people come to me because they want to work with me and for no other reason at all.
Fibes made a good point, regardless of what anyone else thinks. You can't get better without doing. We don't know you or your work, but the best chance at surviving anywhere is by finding your own thing, sticking with it dilligently, and letting it known throughout your area that this is who you are and what you do. It's really the only way IMHO.
A wise man once told me, when you have a destination in mind, sometimes it's the twists and turns throughout the journey that make life so worth it. Sometimes that's more fun than even reaching the goal.
