I put 4 year in and was working on $10K bikes full carbon, all internal routing... got to test a ride a fresh build that was ridden in the olympics in 2008 and have set up DI2 a couple times. It was a great experience to be so engrossed in bikes for that time. Assembling bikes one day a week you will learn a thing or two for sure. At 4 years I was still learning and there is a new product to learn every few months. I miss it and I lament that I am already out of touch with what is current and a left 1.5 years ago. However, I make more than double what I made in the shop and I can take lots of vacations and the schedule is way more flexible. I am even learning how to build a frame and starting that process in the next day or two, as I am on paid vacation in Portland... I couldn't afford to do this and I wouldn't be getting paid if I was working at the LBS.