#2. Just remember cash paramount. You can go years with little profit, or even no profit. You cannot last one day without cash. Your first consideration is bringing new streams of cash in.
Using your web design/development experience, start a blog relating to reviewing tile quality, articles about color suggestions based on room color or size, etc.
Find out what you can from your dad about best practices in installation and maintenance on tile and other options for floorting, etc. and offer advice to do-it-yourselfers.
Start an email newsletter, slowly, slowly build up an audience, and offer a way for potential customers to contact you for work.
People trust hiring someone who exhibits more authority in their niche.
After building up a blog, you can also look to use websites like ServiceMagic (now HomeAdvisor) to find projects. My dad has used this site many times to hire contractors and has always had a good experience.
Thank you!