There is nothing as important to quilting as the machine you're using, but remember that your machine is just a tool, like a power drill or a belt sander. What makes one person better at using a tool is practice and experience, not expensive bells and whistles. A $200 drill will work just as poorly as a $50 drill in the hands of someone who doesn't know how to use it.
As for managing it all, it's really down to deciding what you want and not allowing anyone to tell you it's not possible. There is a quote from the movie "American Beauty" that goes like this - "It's an amazing thing when you wake up and realize you still have the ability to surprise yourself. It makes you wonder what else you can do.
