First thing that is very important is to choose an industry. Once you have done it go for it as fast as you can.
Your aim is the core of change and opportunity - find out where the action is and start moving towards it. It is not a good ides to postpone your progress while waiting for better opportunities that might come.
Never worry about being a small fish in a big pond. Being a big fish in a small pond is not always as good as it might seem in a small pound you will achieve your goal very fast and nobody will notice. Try to find a place in the most dynamic and exciting pond you can find. That is the place that offers the best opportunities.
Use the same rule when choosing which company to go to. Go to the company which is the most dynamic.
Or, if you are going to start your career with a new company or start your own business, make sure you are aiming at the best opportunities the market offers. The same rule goes well for city choice, where you are going to live in.
For high tech, at least in the US, it is Silicon Valley. For fun, its Los Angeles. For politics, Washington DC. For coffee, Seattle. For financial services, New York.
To our opinion, living anywhere other than the hub of your industry is a mistake. A lot of people - who do not live in it do not believe it. But it is so. Geographic location is still crucial if you want to take advantage of the best opportunities in your industry. You can always cite exceptions, but that's what they are: exceptions.
No one knows top filmmaker in New York or Chicago. Very few movies are made there. On the other hand, the top 50 filmmakers in Los Angeles are all very important people in their industry.