I think Cow Pollinator makes the critical point in looking at what part of the business you like to do. We found we did not like moving bees for pollination and honey production and retail sales was our forte. We do move bees south in the fall and back in the spring but It's the one part of this I don't look forward to. If you're doing something you don't enjoy you may as well keep the day job. When beekeeping becomes a business there will be stress and "job" factors just like what you're doing now. I think I liked beekeeping best when I ran about 50 hives.
Next learn to streamline and lighten your operation any way you can. Fixing old frames and cinderblocks are methods we used early on as well. Loading, hauling and unloading 200 cinderblocks to set up 2 new yards of 25 hives ea. will become cumbersome pretty fast. Soft ground, there small footprint and trying to keep hives level will present problems during honey season. Spending 10 minutes to repair a 50 cent frame, when you set a price on your time won't pan out in the long run either. Copy success, check with other commercial beekeepers and see what they are using for foundation, set up and transporting hives, processing and selling honey (retail or wholesale). Do what you do best, if you're good at raising queens and enjoy it focus on that but don't put all your eggs in one basket. Have other income options available or in use as well. Always save for the rainy day because it will come. Two of the best moves we made were a chain uncapper and a clarifying tank with a honey pump and a couple of large capacity bottling tanks (keeping in mind we sell all our honey retail and someone doing pollination and selling honey wholesale may have different needs). Think about your yard work and what "signs" would cause you to stop and check a hive for problems and what "signs' tell you a hive is doing OK. You will have less time to manage in the hives on an individual basis. I think gettin more production from less hives is a better plan, at least it has been for us. We use 2 queen management, collect pollen and propolis and actually have a market for both dead bees and wax moth larve. Involve your family. We have developed a large product base and specialize in distinctive tastes, aroma's and product effectiveness with everything being produced within the family. My wife has spent years working on perfecting recipies for hand creme's, lip balms, tinctures, soaps, and herb infused honeys. She enjoys the fact her products have become so popular and it has doubled our average sale from when we started. Pay attention to details, customers will notice sticky jars, crooked labels and crystals in honey. My kids grew up in the business and my youngest son is now an exceptional beekeeper @ 17 and is extremely proud he now manages our highest producing market oulet. He likes his paycheck every week as well. My oldest daughter (27) is out of the Air Force in January and coming home to come "back" into the business after 8 years away. Her husband of 7 years said it's all she has talked about since they were married. The family connection is a huge reward and makes the job that much better. It is one of the major rewards that makes me push on.
Find ways to save money within your operation. We drive over 2500 miles a month so we spent about $2000 converting our 1 ton diesel to waste Vegtable Oil (includes processing and collection equipment) and appreicate a huge savings. The system will be paid for 3-4 months and we'll be cutting around a $1000 off our monthly expenses. I love the fact we're virutally oil indendant, green and saving money. On a busy Friday when we're getting ready for markets it isn't fun though when I'm behind, trying to heat oil and push it through filtering, covered with with goo and chasing the dog off. Our next project is going to be an energy efficient designed for use honey house using thermal mass to offset most of the heating costs. Ben Franklin was right when he said a penny saved is a penny earned, save pennies everywhere you can.
Insurance is extremely important. I gave my notice last week at a $50,000+ a year job with full benefits to finally do what I want with who I want to do it with. Our replacement insurance will be over $1000 a month. I have spent years planning, learning and saving to get to this point. I'm glad I waited because if I had made many of the mistakes and miscalculations (and I've made some whoppers) I had over the past 10 years of wanting to make the jump I'd be back at work for someone else by now and my bees would be a back yard hobby.
Keep in mind the law of diminishing returns highlights the fact the more you do the less you will get from your effort per unit. Focus on doing as much of the work as you can within your family as the same law clearly shows no (or at least few) paid employees will be as productive as you and they seldom will work for the wage you sometimes will since they may not get the personal reward. Realize that a gross income of $10,000 a month is not YOUR income and someone will always have a hand out for money. You'll be amazed at how much it really costs to be an independant farmer.
Finally concentrate on running a good good bee business, not getting rich, and the money end will come in it's own time. I've had a hundred "good ideas" that didn't pan out but led me to experiance, places and contacts that did.
We only get one chance at life. Some friends raise all kinds of ugly scenario's when I counseled with them. When talking about this with a friend who does hospice, her advice was to go for it. She stated the most common regret she heard from people who's time was up that that what they regretted most was not going for something in life they really wanted to because of fear. Be smart, plan, and be prepared to accept whatever comes. For me I've found my dream and am going it with every thing I've got..
Good Luck!