I can give you a little useful insight into what you are planning on doing.
I am 49 and just recently got into WW only a few short months ago. Like you I had the same questions and like you I was lucky to find the Creek.
I have since spent a great deal of time building almost all of my shop cabinets and furniture as well as my Pentz cyclone. I have learned a great deal building all these things and have gained a lot of understanding just reading the posts and seeing the examples of so much fine woodworking here at the Creek.
I dont think I will be ready to truely earn money woodworking for some time yet as I have much technique and experiance to gain but just being here at SMC is a good start.
My dream was to build beautiful and intricate humedores. Living here in Tampa (huge cigar city theres prob as many tabacco shops as pizza deliveries) I think I can sell them if they are professional quality. I still have my dream but I realized the road was going to be just a bit longer than I first thought, though it is much more enjoyable than I first thought.
Any way, my advice is build as many of your own shop furniture as you can using as many different techniques as you see here in Creek, finger joints, mortise and tenon, splines, bisquites, raised panel, inset panel, edge joints, etc.
I have a hodgepodge of different looking furniture because I have tried as many different techniques as I can. I have also done metal work and welding while building my cyclone. I've worked with plastic while making my dust hoods, and of course with wood making my furniture and jigs.
I have gained not only experiance but also confidence in what I can do and acheive.
And, of course, you have a great resource here. Search the archives and you will find an answer for almost anything you will need.
So welcome and good luck.
Silence is golden but duct tape is silver.