I know several LAs in my guild that do it for money and do make a nice income. They all have one thing in common, their work is very good, they use high quality supplies and do custom quilting. They all go to LA classes across and out of state to learn new techniques. It's a loved passion for them not a job. I would say join a guild and start quilting other members quilts. Your work gets shown at Show and Tell, entered at local shows and fairs, and your name gets known for doing machine quilting.