-first of all you can't really mess up a character, there's no wrong build since there's only one build, just get yourself a rifle and train ranged combat at home, aim for 90 as a skill cap, for any skill really, and have your "main squad" with you when you train, so they train too.
-There are a couple of great companion that you will not regret getting, Jack, Kyle, and Doyle are all rather cheap and decent character to have around for the whole game, Ansel and Bud are the bottom of the barrel, if you can do without them it's better.
-Do the Kymanto early quest, should give you a few thousands bucks, and a feel for how the game's play, always clic on RED highlighted text, it's clues, you don't want to miss thoses, lately Grim stopped doing that for quests (which is a damn tragedy) but hopefully he'll get passionate again and put his mind back on track, at least there's hoping.
-What you can do then is slave hunting, ideally with the slave hunter perk (that you take during character creation), equip staves as side arms for you and melee for you companion and go slave hunting, you can fetch anything from 700$ to 15000$ if you're lucky. you sell them either at redheaven or watery eyes early game, different slaver offer different prices so try to get the best offer.
-Finally get to Kasey's park, in the temple of Yidhra and get the two kids, Laika and Loden, asign them at scavenging (both), and they will get you all sort of junk that you will have no great use of early game but to sell back at the market.
-the real gem is laika with high acrobatic, once you got at 1000 influence you have access to the Gymnasium's competition in Crow's end, with her High skill she should win with not much trouble the semi finals, and earn you around 20000$ every 25* days, it should be a priority for you so don't miss out.
-once you got yourself enough money you buy a property like the Darkmere Lumber at the town hall for 35 000$, there's 750 000 wood to harvest, mean 750 000$ but don't let it deplete, let it rest, replant the tree, and resume operation, etc.
if you got there, you know how to play the game so you'll figure it out, no shame in save scumming, game's progression is all RNG so tap f5 or reload until you get the desired outcome.
have fun buddy.