Order of acquisition

[KenC]

Somewhere in there is "join TPF and ask annoying questions that could be answered on Google in 15 seconds"

 

[Joey_Ricard]

1) join TPF and post "Starting a photography business"
2) ask TPF members "what is required"

 

[Scuba]

I think the Facebook page may come before buying a camera....

 

[The_Traveler]

All of the previous edit suggestions are plausible but you need to remember that the growth of a true professional is dependent on many varying factors and so can be different from person to person.

For example, Fred Berg shows his unfamiliarity with the possible paths by asking after a bag when we have seen that the new breed of young professionals may have only one lens, perhaps two, and that second lens is a 3.5-5.6 70-600 which is small enough to fit in pocket or purse.