as a former shop owner, the best advice I can give you is to start small, don't specialize, perform flawless work at all costs, don't ever lie to your customers, and go out of your way to ensure every customer is satisfied. You don't have to have the greatest equipment in the world to succeed. A welder, 2 post lift, and a dyno are a great start. I will also say that I had a shop that was very similar, and very profitable for a time, and I bowed out 4 years ago. Best thing I ever did, financially. This area has a real sour taste in it's mouth towards shops thanks to guys like Driven Concepts, Brotherz Racing, and others who ripped people off (all of which has been documented here). If it were my money, I wouldn't sink it into a shop, not in this area, not in this financial climate