These are long term problems for a development shop that is 2-3 people, getting work that allows for survival and growth is the problem now. An external partner, as long as they are facilitating the development of relationships and the contract rates are reasonable, are worth quite a lot. Pretty much every successful small consulting firm I've been a part of has leveraged at least one partnership like this, even if they don't perceive it as this kind of "rainmaker" relationship.