Hello Jeff and welcome!

The most important thing to do is to have that razor honed by a pro. That is key.
Without a keen razor everything else is a wasted effort.
Just post a request asking for someone to hone your razor. There might be a nominal fee to have this done.

The second most important item is beard preperation. Lots of hot water is key. This will soften up the whiskers. The pre-shave stuff is alos a good idea.

Let us know how it goes,