Bill wrote:
start all over again in this hobby / business / trade, what mistakes did
you make the first time around that you'd skip on the second go around?


Read this, by Mike Dunbar:

http://www.americanfurnituredsgn.com/Top10UnavTruthsofWoodwrkin.htm


Read #5 over and over... Read it again before applyign a finish. G

To relate it to my own experience, money spent on hands-on instruction
and books related to woodworking, finishing, and sharpening, has
returned a far better profit than most of the "time and labor saving"
gadgets I purchased as a beginner.

Luckily, much of the crap was easily sold on eBay.