Zack Arias explains the hard truth of starting a photography business in today's market on Photoshelter's Vimeo channel. Although it's meant for those who want to turn pro, it includes unusually honest advice on everything from why you should be buying older, used equipment to the scant time you'll be spending on actual photography.
"You need to be marketing the work that you make, not the stuff that you make it with."
I wish more photo blogs and podcasts went with this kind of advice. It would save a lot of people from financial and creative debt.