I used to own an automation/controls company and had always taken whatever evening woodworking courses I could find locally, as a hobby, and to get my mind out of work for a few hours a week.
Ended up being diagnosed with MS, 3 months after my son was born. Sold the business, sold the house in the city, bought some waterfront property, built a house and shop.
I took almost a years worth of intense courses, at a woodworking school for highend furniture. All hand tool work except for stock prep. I'm booked solid and the rest, as they say, is history.
Starting up can be rough. To outfit a complete shop, with most of the machinery and hand tools you'll need, will scare you. Building a customer base, takes a while.
Advice? Take some courses, don't reinvent the wheel. Woodworking is fun, soothing, almost therapeutic, but if its your business, then be familiar with basic business, accounting and admin, or you will not make it.
You have an option when running a shop/studio, you can turn out 1 project per week or 1 per month, whatever your hourly rate is, you will make the same money. Do the highend piece per month, and leave the rest for someone else.
Don't plan on getting filthy rich ($). The process, the people you meet along the way, and the awstruck expressions of a satisfied patron...is the reward.
Cheers and good luck!!
aw