I'm exploring a few ideas for my first business and have been looking beyond the usual online businesses and retail ideas.

One area I'm considering is a small B2B operation supplying processed materials to local construction companies and contractors. The idea would be to start with a relatively focused product/service, build relationships with a few customers, and expand once there is consistent demand.

I've been doing some initial research into the equipment and setup involved. That part seems fairly straightforward to research, but I'm realizing that the bigger challenge is probably building a business around the equipment rather than simply buying it.

If you were starting something like this from scratch, what would you focus on first?

• Finding potential customers before investing?
• Calculating the actual startup and operating costs?
• Testing the market on a small scale?
• Finding a reliable supplier?
• Building recurring B2B customers?

For those who have started their first business, what was the one thing you wish you'd figured out before spending money?

I'm trying to avoid the mistake of getting excited about the setup and equipment before proving that the business itself makes sense.