Question: What are some of your best pieces of advise to someone new to the hobby?

@shebuskij    The worst possible advice! A totally outdated perspective. Speakers are the most flawed component, despite this fact if the electronics and source are not up to the level of the speakers you have a mess on your hands. This is where the upgrading and changing out gear phenomenon was created by print media 40+ years ago. 

Try to find a trustworthy dealer with a good selection of equipment. Audition lots of combinations. 
Read lots of reviews, etc. not so much to pick the merchandise but just to learn the jargon and get a feel for what you are looking for

Make your biggest bet on speakers

within reason, if you can't afford what you want, wait until you can. Otherwise, you run the risk of buying something that is unsatisfying from day one

don't make lateral moves. If you're upgrading, plan on spending twice what the old component cost.

there are components that offer Great value but realize that you generally get what you pay for just like in anything else. There may be components that sound better than others that cost three times as much, but I would suggest that is generally a unicorn.

you can learn a lot from a forum such as this, I certainly have, but take the know it alls with a grain of salt. Hearing is subjective. If it sounds good to you, that means it's good. 
most of all, enjoy the music. Spend more time, listening to music than reading reviews 

and never start a thread about the merits of high dollar switches 
 

Take your time, don’t buy everything at once, and enjoy the music!

Start with inexpensive gear and set it up in a room best fitted for proper acoustics. Then work the room acoustics with all the necessary acoustic treatments until the inexpensive gear sounds best. Only then move up to better gear. If you do it the other way around you will end up wasting a lot of money on gears that will never be fully satisfying. Like building a house, it all starts with a good foundation.

@mmcgill829

1) what sort of music do they prefer ?

2) How "picky’ are their ears?

3) What are their expectations regarding how a system might enhance their enjoyment of said music?

4) Are these expectations realistic, given their room and how much patience, effort, and cash they’re willing to allocate?