I wanted to open my own business so I went and talk to my dad first.  He has owned his own Tampa FL plumbing business for over thirty years.  My dad told me how hard it was for him when he first started his business and all the different things he learned about running a business.  He said he had to know much more than just being a plumber he had to understand how to deal with people, insurance issues and he had to be able to deal with money.  He told me that I should work on all of those things and then open my business.  Even then he anticipated that I would still run into issues but I would be better prepared than he was when he first started.