He complained bitterly why friends can't hire and pay him even half but will pay a stranger a very good amount of money for something he can do better.

I have experience this before, it wasn't a pleasant feeling to know that your friends only call on you whenever they want free jobs and they wouldn't mind paying others for the same service you render whenever they realise you would not do it for free.

I believe a friend who doesn't support my business in a way that matters is not a true friend.