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?

I'm kind of looking for arrows pointing to where the land mines are.

I think I'd skip HF for my mainstay tools EXCEPT where I had carefully
specced the exact tool I needed to buy and HF had a tool that EXACTLY met
that spec or exceeded it. I just bought a Milwaukee 5625-29 router and
it's a real eye-opener. Can't get anything like this at HF.

I also think I'd downplay my willingness to do custom work and put more
effort into building inventory to sell from.

And I'd also give more thought to cost tracking so I'd be collecting
needed data from day one.

I find that I have a LOT of pen blanks cut from unremarkable wood. Skip
that ... anything that isn't eye candy is firewood.

I've got others ... but I'd like to hear from you.

Bill