Taking the plunge

[d3rk]

I really want to quit my job and focus on glass full-time. The only problem: what a pay cut! I've considered taking a part-time job elsewhere to at least cover rent, but I think my spoons are decent enough to start taking out while I work on delving into larger sizes and new techs on the side. I've had this on my mind a lot the last few weeks and it is stressing me out to no end. Any advice or insight from those who have experienced the transition would be greatly appreciated.

[JBob]

I'd do my best to get some experience selling my work to shops and at other places or events before i would quit a full time job. That way you will have a good idea of how much you can actually make, and how much places you are planning to sell to are willing to buy. different styles of pieces is also are good to take to shops, instead of a case full of spoons, maybe have some bats, or a gandalf or other simple dry pipes of another structure. It is also good to take and use any input a local shop might have, at least for work that you present to them. What experience have you had selling locally? Posting pictures would also be helpful as always :)

[$Y$TM]

[QUOTE=d3rk;693509but I think my spoons are decent enough to start taking out .[/QUOTE]
So take some out and see how they do before you quit and leave that comfy paycheck behind. Personally in this day in age I would slowly work into it and see what sort of sales you can make before going all in.

[2wheeler]

I'm in the same position and have felt your same feelings towards quitting working for the man. I wouldn't and won't feel ready until I am at least a month behind in production... I would need to make 1 1/2 times what I currently make profit in order to compensate for benefits / paid vacation....

I would recommend stocking up as much as possible on material. Like a year or two worth before quitting.

If you want different equipment. Get it before it pays the bills.

[Cow'N]

Work slowly into it... all the advice given, is good advice. I know some shops sell more of this than that, regardless of how good a piece is. Its good to go to a few shops show them your work and talk with them, see what they like and what their customers like. Take notes and pre-pare that way...I have a few different shops that I make runs too and for each one I put together different styled, sized and priced pieces. Also BRANCH out you could find that a few shops will make you the living you need or you might need many shops.... I guess my point is still the same, take it slow and don't stress out have fun with it!
peace,
Cow'N

[Icarus]

Don't do it. I mean, do it someday, but you need more time. Milk the IT paycheck for a while longer and work work work in your meantime.

[dustyg]

Like everyone's saying, production is only half the game. Sales are the other half. Then you've got book keeping, inventory, marketing, customer relations, etc. for the other halves. It adds up to somewhere around 360% of a normal job.

[bildo]

Do it bro. I am doing it. Hit me up, I think I have seen your work on here before and the prodo is what people want. 2 hours to Houston, 1 hour to Austin $ and a half to Dallas, the world is yours. Headshopfinder.com and a car is all you really need. And self motivation, If you work forty hours with the torch on a week and keep experimentation to a minimum you cant lose in this texas game.

If you want my advice, do it. Fuck the Man, You are the new man, working for yourself is the way to riches, working for someone else is the way of bitches. No offense to those of you with jobs, I just could never go back, and I couldnt in good conscience advise someone to keep a dead ender. Glass pipes are the way of the future.

[2wheeler]

Bildos advice puts a smile on my face... in a good way. But seriously...

[glasspyromania]

My 2cents for what there worth if yeh have a good paying job now, Before yeh take the plunge make sure yeh have some emergency cash set aside.

With the gear you currently have make sure you can do full time production. Large enough annealer? enough oxy to do a full day?

Figure out the minimum amount of cash you need to survive, so yeh have a good idea of how much yeh need to make. Are yeh making payments on a vehicle? pay it off before hand.Have any other debts? Look for other things yeh can do to reduce yer money out go. Learn frugal living.

How many places do you know of that you could possible sell to? A large chunk of your time is gonna be take up selling things you made.

Take some time off from work to figure these things out. More yeh prepare the easier the transition will be.

[glassdocnc]

Good luck. Be cautious and be prepared for surprises. At least "the man" is fairly predictable.

[Shonbal]

You should come hang out downtown with us before you quit your job and get an idea of what you will be getting yourself into. As far as I know, me and the guys I am working next to are the only ones in town making a living off boro. I quit my job a year ago and it has been every bit as stressful as working for the man. Either way, if I hadn't of met Zollie, I wouldn't be where I am at.
We have been waiting for you to come say whats up.
And Bildo makes it sound like its easy.

[EFS]

My quick advice would be to go for it. Otherwise die wondering if you had what it took to be a self made man. That being said, be prepared and willing to work your ass off. Nobody is going to come and make you work or hand out money to you. With eveything else, this is a grind as well. And remember the glassblowing is the easy part. Good luck! Don't fuck this up!

[Ronin]

I did it a little over two months ago, (but I still work as an IT contractor on the side, just so I know the rent will get paid, but I'm still on my own schedule), but not before I already had four shops buying from me regularly enough to also pay the rent and my car was paid off. But Dallas is easy money. If you have all of your ducks in a row you should be okay, but only fools rush in. Having something on the side, getting your car paid off, and whatever ends you can get tied off before hand will get you through those tough times.

my 2c

[Mr. Wonka]

d3rk,

After reading your progress thread, it seems like you haven’t been in the game very long. Although your work is clean, it may not be enough of a platform to build on. When you do this full time, you spend a lot of time not only in production, but finding and managing accounts as well.

I feel that you would do yourself an injustice by going full time right now (as tempting as that might be), as you need some room to grow and expand your repertoire. When your bills depend on a steady income, there’s less and less time for experimentation.

If you need any personal advice and would like to talk, I’ll be happy to spend some time with you.

All the best,

Tom

[AlexSchmalex]

I've been doing this full time for about 8months now, and it is MUCH harder to pay your bills\experiment when you rely on making prodo. And I've had a fair bit of help. Milk your job until you absolutely can't do it any longer. Take time to find out what sells and what doesn't, learn how to run your business before you rely on it. This job is great but if you wanna make money you gotta push yourself hard.

[sasch74]

I got a lot more respect for my former employers work achievements since I'm self-employed. But if I was in the same situation I was in when I quit, I'd do it again.

[bildo]

I didnt mean to make it sound easy, its not. Also I assumed you have a job that you get paid less than 20$ and that is a bad assumption. If you have a killer job, paid phat bucks, by all means keep that shit. But if you are a table waiter or grease monkey fuck that shit. The thing about glassblowing for your income is these:

1 You can work as many hours as you want. There are coal miners right now bragging and buying drinks at the corner bar because they logged 60 hours last week, but there arent very many of them. If you havent noticed we are in a recession and I personally have sold virtually any quality piece I have ever made. I cant make enough and am considering buying glass from others.

2 It is hard to devote the time necessary to becoming fucking bad ass when you have a forty hour gig and I assume some semblance of a life. (girlfriend, homies, video games, spurs basketball) This game requires work ethic and dedication.

3 Necessity is the worlds largest motivator. If you dont NEED to make your rent with this shit you simply wont. I have to torch daily, even if I dont feel like it, that cant make me worse and most likely makes me a more technical blower because I need my prodo to look good in order to sell.

I dont know you, and if you fancy yourself lazy you might not want to jump in. But if you are motivated and outgoing and if you have a CAR you can make it. Like I said hit me up. I know two distributers here in atx and I know of just about every shop in the great state of Texas. I love flameworkers and will help out with any advice I can provide.

[Shonbal]

Lots of good and bad advice all over this thread. And fuck having a car.

[JBob]

deleted sorry

[JBob]

deleted

[Slow]

Just wanted to clarify a few things.


You can work as many hours as you want

You can work as many hours as you can afford. This isn't always relevant (especially if you use liquid oxygen and can afford to buy glass by the pallet), but let me just say that few things suck harder than simultaneously having no money (or not enough, at least) and no way to make more. Plan for that.


It is hard to devote the time necessary to becoming fucking bad ass when you have a forty hour gig and I assume some semblance of a life

This is very true, but don't forget that prodo spoons absolutely counts as a forty hour gig. It's tough to rationalize spending all day and the better part of a K tank on a janky bubbler you can barely smoke out of (or whatever the "next big thing" happens to be, skill-wise) instead of making a pile of salable spoons and paying one of your many bills.

Speaking of bills, make damn sure you set aside at least 1/3 of every sale to spend on more glass, oxygen, propane, tools, and so forth. That's after you pay rent and bills, buy food and gas, of course. Don't let running out of anything sneak up on you.

I guess this all relates to one main theme:

Get ahead of the game, and stay there.

If you can do that, then you're golden. But remember that being your own boss doesn't mean you don't have a boss, it means you are the boss. If you're a shitty employee, then you're also a pissed-off boss and a struggling business owner to boot.

[istandalone24/7]

wow some great advice. me, i was lucky in that i have enough money saved to live on for a year....frugally of course. i worked at a local hearing aid & watch battery mfg, and if i didn't get out i was going to kill somebody or myself. in there, you're a robot. yes the pay was good (40k a year) but your treated like shit.
i'll likely not be able to support myself making marbles and prodo pipes, ornaments, pendants etc but i'd rather go broke trying to work for myself then kinda prosper working for a corporation that treats me like shit! the way i look at it is i got pretty good at implosion/compression marbles in 6 months, i went from making unrecognizable flower implosions to lifelike works of art in pretty short order and i can only hope that if i work at it, i'll do the same with pipes.

[bildo]

You can work as many hours as you can afford. This isn't always relevant (especially if you use liquid oxygen and can afford to buy glass by the pallet), but let me just say that few things suck harder than simultaneously having no money (or not enough, at least) and no way to make more. Plan for that.





Get ahead of the game, and stay there.

If you can do that, then you're golden. But remember that being your own boss doesn't mean you don't have a boss, it means you are the boss. If you're a shitty employee, then you're also a pissed-off boss and a struggling business owner to boot.[/QUOTE]

Hell yeah, I am still learning how to get ahead of the game, it is so hard but so worth it.

And I think a car is important so you can travel to sales without relying on others. The town in which you are from might have limited sales opportunities, but cities close by present more sales opportunities. I feel like I can never rely on one particular shop to keep me paid but all of the shops in Texas collectively keep me paid. If I had no car I would be stuck to shops on the bus route.

[Cold Seal]

"In there you are a robot...".

Making prodo all day, everyday is as close to robotics as it gets. Get used to it. I would keep ur job and work on glass after work until bed. Everyday . When your sales hit a point where u can't make enough pre-sold/ordered glass at night and on weekends then its time to quit the day job or hire some help. Even then, two incomes is better than one. If u don't have the disipline (sp) to make glass at night, after a shitty day at a shitty job, one probably doesn't have the motivation to be self employed at all.....

[istandalone24/7]

you missed it, i already left. i didn't quit in order to do glass....i quit because it was effecting my health. glass started as a nice distraction. i was severely depressed, was losing weight and losing sleep. yes i'd be a robot making prodo all day too, but at least then i have some control over the end product and can put a little bit of my soul into each piece.

so long as i like what i do i have the passion and discipline. worst case scenario is i go back to school. that will suck at 35, it'll be hard to get back into being a student, but i have the means to go to school full time and still have my bills paid. no my family is not rich...not even close but my parents and all my close relatives (a few aunts/uncles who i'm very close to) have all told me that if i ever want to go to school full time that i'll need not worry about a place to stay when i do that. so basically i have a huge support network to fall back on if i need to further my education. i haven't even looked into glass schools yet, so there's yet another option.

[istandalone24/7]

[QUOTE]If u don't have the disipline (sp) to make glass at night, after a shitty day at a shitty job, one probably doesn't have the motivation to be self employed at all...../QUOTE]

no offense, but you don't know me or my situation at all, so lets not make generalizations about other people. k? i HAD to get out of there. it wasn't just the "robot" mindset. many many other things came into play, none of which i'm going into here with strangers.

[Jeffs Pieces]

Good luck on the new venture, Glass heals bro, and sometimes ya got to go. I for one wish I had a job when I started glass so I could have spent more time on glass and art and not robot prodo pipes. I bet I would have advanced quicker.

[istandalone24/7]

as it is now, i do at least two nice salable marbles a day (a few gift & jewelry stores in my town stock them now) and two pipes, both using tech's that i already know so that i'm guaranteed a few salable pieces at the end of the day. once that's done i'll take a couple hours to mess around with marble/pendant and pipe techs that i don't know, just for the experience. these experimental pieces usually end up in the scrap bin, but doing this helps me to push myself in new directions.

[Icarus]

no offense, but you don't know me or my situation at all, so lets not make generalizations about other people. k? i HAD to get out of there. it wasn't just the "robot" mindset. many many other things came into play, none of which i'm going into here with strangers.

Wait, when did this thread become about you?

[istandalone24/7]

it isn't, genius.
but when coldseal quoted one of the things i posted, i then replied. that's all.
Icarus, idk what your problem is with me, but whenever i post you seem to feel the need to badger me. kindly fuck off.

[Kaizen]

Working glass full time also involves growing a thick skin and if ppl on an online forum ruffle your feathers then maybe you shouldn't do it. *cough*

[istandalone24/7]

my feathers aren't ruffled one bit and it amuses me when people think i get bent out of shape for just replying to a post.

maybe i should use more ;) :) and :(
either that or just ignore the trolls. that's probably easier.

[brian falls]

I wouldn`t say bent out of shape, more like butthurt.

[Dan Kooper]

Cryjacking!!!

[LarryC]

my feathers aren't ruffled one bit and it amuses me when people think i get bent out of shape for just replying to a post.

maybe i should use more ;) :) and :(
either that or just ignore the trolls. that's probably easier.

Icarus = Troll???? Uhm thats a mod.

[HOSS]

I think we all understand who is the valued member of the community here and who is the annoyance.

Well, apparently, ALMOST all of us. :rolleyes

[bildo]

I have always told myself that my 40 + hours of prodo a week is making me a better more technical flameworker. Hours on the torch have always felt necessary to my growth and my pockets. Also it is not like I havent advanced. I started out making 9.5 slider bowls (almost exclusively), then moved on to some crappy surface work (still sold it), then moved to ISO and shirlies, then moved to blow ins and bubs, then started some air trap and wags. All the while I kept making the prodo I had previously made. I have been doing this for a little over two years and alas I have only made one headie, but I could make another whenever I want. I want to be a great flameworker, prodo is a great way to learn design and decorating techniques and still get paid.

I think that the problem with the way this discussion headed is that it does not define mindless prodo. I am serious, I am like an Indian child knocking out 10 - 20 prodo items a day, but they are not all the same. I feel if I am ever gonna be a big shot (Salt, Eusheen, Deppe etc) I need to work 40 hours a week as a LAMPWORKER and another 40 hours a week as an artist.

My overall point is that half stepping will keep you half the piper you could be.


Islandalone- make more stuff, especially if this is your only gig. think $150 at least 5 days a week. LOX and cases are expensive and the only way to make this work is to realize that you need to minimize cost and maximize output.

I dont feel like working today, I am gonna make bubblers and they are still tricky for me, but will I be a better glassblower if I take the day off or if I struggle through the 10 30 dollar bubblers? My guess is that practice is what I need to make those welds super clean. How can I make anything without the necessary fundamentals?

[HOSS]

D3rk

I think bildo makes some good points, and it sounds like he is learning much like I did. Basic stuff 90% of the time (or more) to build fundamentals and funds, and take time for further learning/funtime whenever feasable. This really works well but does take some time to develop the higher end skills. It's also good to pick out one or two moreadvanced skills and start working them into your prodo line. Like adding linework caps to your spoons, or making simple 2-piece dry's to help practice welds.

At the same time, it also makes good sense to not give up the steady paycheck until you are in a good position for it both financially and skillwise (and also confident that you have the accounts and sales ability to support it.)

Nobody but you can decide when it's time to make the switch, but it would be wise to take a brutally honest look at your work and your finances before doing anything you can't take back. Maybe there's a way to go part-time for awhile to help with the transition?

I think it would also be smart to take the invitation to hook up with some of the other locals, they can help out in many ways. Good luck!

[JBob]

what is a $30 bubbler?

[Dan Kooper]

Bridging is what you need to make those welds clean.

[Tsnider]

im with suzuki on buying what you need now. im a diesel mechanic and im dumping ALL of my extra into it. i simply wont work for "the man" my whole life so im working towards having everything i need.
a lot of us are in the same boat, few of us will actually ever leave our job to do this. my car is almost paid off, and then im gonna buy materials and save like 5k for a cushion.

all in all bro just remember that you can find a job again if you need to. you found the one your at.

[Pogo]

This thread is a fucking train wreck.....

@istandalone: Thank's for making one post, and then ASSUMING any further post made was directed at you. The posts following yours were for the OP, who, if your narcissism will allow it to believe, is trying to take the plunge into full-time lampworking. Just because you post in a thread does not mean subsequent posts are for you. So, once again, you get totally butt-hurt and offended, and because it was Icarus was trying to point that out to you, you start your whiny-ass name calling and "fuck-off" shit again. So, now you are receiving another infraction, and probably once again getting a little vacation. The members here are developing a great idea of the kind of person you are, and are going to respond to your questions and posts appropriately to their views of you. Unfortunately for you, you don't have the greatest friend-base here, probably due to your inability to communicate effectively through writing, and that is going to affect your experience in a negative way. I sincerely hope that you take time to reflect upon what you type before you click "reply" on future posts.

@d3rk: Sorry for putting another off-topic post in your thread, and good luck on your venture!

[Louie HaHa]

Go hang out with the guys who invited you locally. Sorry, can't remember who posted it off the top of my head. It's good to know good people.

The saying is true in the glass game too, "It's not what you know, it's WHO you know." Not that being a beast behind the torch isn't important or the personal goal of most of us, but if you can make something sick (doesn't matter what exactly) but only a few people ever get the chance to see it/buy it. You are selling yourself short I think.

I found through about 13 yrs of doing this that it helps to have a plethora of different types of customers. Guys who will take a bunch of stuff but you'll have to cut a deal (distributor style or someone who owns a bunch of shops), and many customers who will take smaller batches (like $1k or less) but always pay full price.

At least this formula has done well for me. Mainly prodo with headies mixed in.

Also, it might not be a bad idea to write down a list of types of prodo things you make. The only reason I say this is because there have been times (very recently even) that I have remembered some style of piece I made yrs back, and re-introduced it to my product line. Generally people dig them, then order a bunch and I'm reinventing that piece with a couple new tweaks (like new colors or a new color pattern). It keeps things fresh for your customers and it makes your bucket deeper with different styles.

Doubt most people write down style ideas. But, have a little safety break and ****shaaaazaammmm**** "oh shizz, I just remembered a sick little so n so I used to make, let's see if people still dig it"

Either way, good luck.

Persistence. Patience. Drive.

Oh yea, and having a car is definitely a plus. I do not recommend taking the bus to sell glass. Obviously you gotta work hard, but it's equally important to work smart.

[Slow]

Back on track, folks...

So, d3rk, not sure how lucrative your day job is, but I'd think long and hard (heh, heh) before leaving it. If you jump the gun, there's no guarantee there'll be another job for you (economy, blah, blah) that will be worth taking. So, here's a list of things I feel would be in your best interest to take care of before going full time:

Got a car? Pay it off, and get that shit in tip-top shape. New, high-quality parts wherever they are needed.
Got a house/apt? Get yourself to the point where, on the first of each month, you already have next month's mortgage/rent. Stay there. Do the same with all of your monthly bills.
What kind of torch do you have? Planning an upgrade anytime soon? Do that first. Same thing goes for you kiln. Try to have a foot pedal and a digital (programmable) kiln controller, these will save you time and money.
Is liquid oxygen an option for your shop? If so, go for it. If not, look into an oxy-con setup. Running to the supplier every week with K tanks is another waste of time and money.
Lacking any tools you may need? Buy them.
Stock up on glass (clear, color, frit, dichro, opals...anything) to the point where you have cases of clear and pounds of color on the back burner, waiting to be tapped when the current supply runs low. Never run out (when you open your last case of clear tube, for instance, buy more right then and there).
Save up about another grand, and keep that shit in your bank account. That way, when a killer sale pops up, you can jump on it. Replenish immediately.

Basically, you want to funnel as much of your earnings as possible into your shop, minimizing glass-related stress for at least the first year or so when you decide it's time to break the chains. And honestly, I've spoken with several skilled glassblowers, most recently Blade at AGI (cough-baller-cough), who have literally never gone full time. They live on their paychecks, and when they go into the shop, they are free to work on whatever inspires passion in them that day. It's a longer road to travel, but it can be (and has been) done.

I know it's tempting to leave any semblance of a day-job behind (hell, I did it), but don't forget:
You'll be working longer and harder, and you'll be more stressed out than you would at a day job, because it's all on your shoulders. It can be worth it, or it can be a disaster. Do not tread lightly into this decision.

[Dan Kooper]

I've been doing glass as my main source of income for a little over a year now I was changing tires prior. I just made sure I had shops that will buy anything i make, heady or prodo. So when I get in a pinch I can: make some glass, cool the kiln, sell the glass, and pay my rent within 24 hrs. Just basically make sure you have a good relationship with some shops. So when your in a pinch you know where to take the glass.
I also have a girlfriend of 10 years that has a great job. So I knew I wasn't going to be homeless if I was sick for a week. I still pay her 200$ a week and she is on my ass if I don't have it. But making 200$ worth isn't that hard to do. So I would figure out what you need to make a week and do a test month. After work everyday and try to make your goal. if you can do it I would say go for it.

[Cold Seal]

Apparently he already quit the day job.... Good luck with your health :) :) : ) :) :) :) ..

[STROKER]

icarus you suck... wait i dont know... maybe your alright but ....

there have been some very valuable points brought up in this thread.

i have been self employed for 18 years and i am positive that i am unemployable at this point.

however there are many days when i wish i wasnt the man... being in charge of your own business is more like work than any job you have ever had if you actually intend to be successful in any measure.
the hours on the torch are only a part of the total equation and that is the hardest part to remember.

people are not gonna come to your door knocking until you are a baller. until then you have to promote and sell all the jank that is built by you and this is when the man doesnt sound so bad...

now that i got that out of the way. do it and never look back. it is much easier to find reasons to stay in the safety of the mans job but in the end if you dont at least try, i am sure you will live to regret it. life is super short and we only have a small timeline to make our mark on the world. dont waste it and then go dammnn.. if only i would have...

[hyla]

finally I found this thread - I have been hearing about it for a few days bc I work in bildo's studio. He made some xlent points above. For me, flame working is a new lifeline and beginning. I am not the norm - mid 50's computer professional out of work for 3 years in that field, jumping into this feet first, full time.

I can never go back to that ever. I began this jump last December. I had some prior experience here where I met bildo. When I was ready to pursue this full time, he had studio space available, lucky lucky me.

I love what I am doing. I will never ever be able to learn all there is to do but I am having a blast getting along my path.

I could go on and on about me but that is not what this is about. Take a leap of faith, pursue this passion, make new acquaintances, listen to those who have gone before you and then share it back to other newbies. Listen to the criticisms of your work and then work harder. And pay attention to what has been said in this thread.

[d3rk]

There was an entire week that I didn't go into the studio after work, or on the weekend. I was drained and inspiration-less. Since my original post, to clarify, I did not quit. My contract was abruptly ended. In other words: I got canned. And thank your gods for that, because I was done and I couldn't work the scissors. In the meantime, there has been some amazing advice put down on these pages, and for that I am truly grateful.
I also wanted to shine a little light on the situation, given some suggestions from a few responses here and there;
I have been stocking up on glass the last 3 months. I have cases and color to last. The only thing I wish I had bought before getting canned was another oxy con. I'm starting to notice as I thicken up pieces or work bigger stuff, the single ain't cuttin it.
I do not plan on making spoons forever, and I do plan on picking up lessons at a couple local shops and even head to Austin in the very near future.
Shonbal: I'm there man. Just bought not one, but two cars yesterday... so for me to say fuck having a car is kind of hard now.
I never wanted to be on unemployment, and I never have before, but I can learn a lot in 6 months.
The day after my original post was when I got canned. The day after that was when the days stopped feeling stagnant. I feel like if I don't go in the studio one day I'm slackin. The drive to do something I'm passionate about along with the added bonus of knowing both middle fingers are on reserve for the man puts a huge grin above my chin. As did Bildo's initial response. When I hear take a few here and there and see how it goes, the first word that comes to mind is pussy footin. I've already been pussy footin. I go to shops, talk to people, I understand that's part of the game and a huge one at that. I knew that going in. I can't remember who said it, maybe Bildo, but I am driven when I'm strugglin. I'm lazy when I'm rich. I would've liked to have had the patience to stick around until the end of the year, but thankfully I have all of you to pester and poke along with my girlfriend who has been, well, more than I can put in words. Much love ya'll, and uh... gettin canned kinda changed it up. Let's start over!

[Mecha]

Despite the temporary thread derailment, there is a ton of good advice in here. Not going to try and repeat any of it as pretty much all has been covered.

One thing I will say though, despite the fact that you will be tied up a lot with production for money's sake, you really, really need to schedule some time once a week or so to just play around. I don't know what your long term goals are with what you want to make, but having a little time to do things that just interest you and that you are not worried about selling will help a ton. The prodo grind will hone your skills and that in turn will make your play sessions a little more productive.

Good luck with your endeavors man.