Any small business owners here?

I've been toying with the thought of opening my own business. Possibly a bookstore for a niche market - maybe now or later including some type of teahouse/cafe area.

But I have no experience running a bookstore, just a gas station/convenience store I worked at while in school. Nor have I ever started a business from scratch, just have done bookwork for established businesses.

What do I need to learn upfront? How do I protect my personal assets from getting wiped out by a potential biz failure? Where can I learn how to do this successfully?