I believe to some degree this has been done/attempted in the past. Seattle supposedly had a "family" called the Colacurcio family which was not ever an official family with any inducted members; they were just Italians who ran strip clubs and some VLTs and did some shylocking and weren't afraid to enforce delinquent payments.

They were not on any commission, had no contact that I have ever been aware of with other families, nobody had ever participated in any making ceremony with an official family, they just considered themselves the Seattle mob in the absence of any "official" one.

On a side note, there was at one time at least, maybe still, a Genovese associate in the Seattle area. Fat (Tony/Pete/Paulie - whatever his name was, I forget now). That was the only semi-official presence in the PNW that I have heard of, and it was one guy and he was just an associate.

Whether or not this has been tried in other cities is an interesting question. But I am aware of at least the Colacurcio's in Seattle as an attempt at a self-made mafia family (sort of). Best example I am aware of.