Hello Donna and thanks for your comments.
I so agree with you that those first minutes are crucial, and as you can see below, it is a lesson I am still learning. :P
I might say that the first session of 20 minutes are when we must be most critical. I used to use the first 20 to place features...these days, I am spending the first two getting placement and proportion right, and then refining it all the way. It is not easy, but Gods is it fun!