LOL...I worked at NERD for nearly 10 years. Taxes aside, overhead at a big facility is mindblowing, not to mention the ins & outs of everyday business. It can be seriously crazy, and I have a lot of admiration for those who are able to maintain things on that level successfully, long-term.
Something else I learned from a decade @ a big facility, doing shows, the forums, all of it...there are more $#*! talkers in the "ball python industry/hobby" than there are ball pythons. True fact. It's shocking the number of people who run their mouths who have never even been near the morphs they like to trash talk.
Keep what you like, like what you keep, breed to fulfill your own goals, be realistic & you won't be left hanging. Never lose sight of what fascinates you about these snakes in the first place, and you'll find something every day that makes you love them even more.
And NEVER, no matter what, let someone who is talking smack take away from your enjoyment of your snakes. EVER. Their opinions are usually only as substantial as a fart in the wind.
Good luck w/your projects!
K~