I would argue that a professional could absolutely start out with godox gear. Flash is a stopping point for a lot of fledgling pros as people don't understand how to use it properly, so if you pick up a flash or two to start learning, I think you can get a long way with them. Once you start commanding a higher price point and more demanding clients, absolutely you could upgrade to either of those but I think a lot of working professionals can get away with what Godox has to offer.