Partner with other like-minded people and network with local businesses such as Web Design/Dev companies, Ad agencies (after the local ad agencies move outwards to the regional and then state-wide and to the national level) in order to get yourself the clients you need through partnerships and JVs (profit-sharing is a great idea/Word-of-Mouth/Affiliate Fees for Leads). Follow-up on every story and theory you see and if at all possible, test the theories. There are great resources out there and you MUST keep abreast of EVERY change in SEO land. There are the experts of SEO/SEM whom may be found through the forums, sites and blogs of the largest idea gathering sites, and then there are the larger learning zones…