Bob Hoover was a smart and skilled pilot, but I am sure his airmanship would have told him to absolutely refuse to take any chances with passengers on board (paying punters just wanting to go from A to B).
I believe airmanship should come before skills. With good airmanship, you can prevent getting into corners where good/excellent/exceptional skills would be required. With average/good/above average skills, you can still (more often than not)
it up, because of poor judgment, poor planning, well, you get the picture.
Wanna be a flying ace? Go rent an Extra 300 in a flying club and knock yourself out, flying passengers for hire is another business.