Luck timing and hard work. You will need it all but, it can be done. At 30 I had my private and 257hrs and was a Police Officer. I worked overtime and private security details and earned my CFIIME. I then stopped working extra police overtime and started instructing on the side, then did 135 work and became D/O of a 135 Air Ambulance for 8 years. Retired from the PD with a pension. I was then hired by Mesa (airline boot camp) worked there 4.5 years then was hired by Air Tran which was of course acquired today by SWA. It can be done.