Starting a Business in Austria

I'm currently in the process of starting my own company here in Austria, and I thought it might be interesting for some to hear about the steps I go through along the way.

Quick background:

I worked for Ogilvy and Mather in Vienna for 3 and a half years (title: Chief Programmer). I haven't worked full time since June, 2004, thanks to savings, severance pay, some nice tax refunds and a few small sources of income. Yeah, it's been nice, but the party is coming to an end, and I'm OK with that.

I have always wanted to go into business for myself. Both of my parents are successful entrepreneuers. I grew up around a family business, and being the oldest son in the family, I was exposed to many of the business-goings-on. I guess you can say that nature and nurture have primed my entrepreneurial instincts.

Now I am loaded with what I think is a great business idea, as well as a wide network of professional contacts here in Vienna. I'm getting a lot of enthusiastic help from some of those contacts (thanks Roland and Michael), and I'm also getting some excellent help from friends of mine in Austin, Texas who have already started a successful business doing exactly what I hope to do (thanks Kirk and Erich).

I'm excited, and also a little frightened - it's always easier to succeed when you don't aim your sites too high. I'm aiming them high, now, so it's time to see what I'm really made of.