Contact your local Small Business Association - they will either have people THERE, or have a list of people you can contact to have a sit-down talk about how you start up and run a company.

And Amul is right about assisting for more photographers - that's how you make contacts, can get overflow work, as well as learn a variety of techniques you will use (even from photographers that you can't stand to work with - they will inevitably teach you something you WILL use).

Most of the photographers I assisted for already made the deals before I even got there, so I didn't pick up much business advice from them - but I did pick up a LITTLE to have an idea how to figure out what to bid.

I know this is the last thing you want to read, but assisting doesn't pay much, if it pays at ALL, but the experience you get is invaluable. I realize it the word "invaluable" doesn't cover the rent at the moment, but it eventually will.

At most, I would cut back hours at your current job, and let photographers in the area know the days you are available to assist. this way you still have some version of regular income. You will see less of your family, yes, but when you own your own photography biz it won't stop then either - this is something to consider about starting your own company as well.

About assisting - you may go a little over a month before a photographer will pay you - commercial guys like me bill their regular clients monthly. We don't see a check until the beginning of the following month (which, yes, makes budgeting really fun sometimes...). This is why I suggest you keep a regular job and do this on the side for now - an average company takes 5 years to develop into a fourishing company.

Hope this helps - good luck-

-Lew ;-)