Oi! I have asked that question myself. So what possible skills could he take? He is not a hero so he can not benefit from ANY academic skills as far as I can tell. He can not buy anything. He cannot haggle for anything because he cannot search for rare items or buy them. He can't search so he Streetwise is of no use... He doesn't cast spells so...
He starts with all the cool skills he needs. The bodyguard is, well, dumb, but taking that skill is your only option besides taking wyrdstone cutter.
As for cutter I have seen folks make money on that every round. I haven't been able to myself, but I have seen others. Or at least I heard them make the claim. [Never saw them make the roll for doing it, but they always claimed the maximum. I don't play with them any more...]