I am very new at this game as well.... I have been shooting for years, for other paysites.
Now i launched my own paysite
www.sundeviangels.com ...
So, i shoot content for other clients to make money , pay bills, and pay talent for my own site, I do both. I have a few members to my site and i have not even advertised my site at all by any means yet, no promotion yet , and still people seem to find it and join.
It has almost caught up even, in what i have paid the talent.
So if you have enough time do both.. Do a paysite and still shoot for others , separately of course.
They key to any real website is what most of these big guys will not share.. The real magic comes having fresh new girls that no one else has shot! New girls are what sell more than anything. That is a fact! The idea of a new girl that no one has all fucked out, or shot out, a girl that the viewer can keep in his mind to himself is what really sells.
I am the MASTER of finding all NEW GIRLS!! Many websites have made way too much money from the NEW girls that I found and or discovered! Now its my turn!
So keep this in mind when you are shooting, content for others or shooting your own content.