when I finally have the right biz and I am ready to go, should I be willing to ship anywhere in the world or start with something smaller, like just my country, then add one more and so on?

That totally depends on your business. Only you can answer that. There are pros and cons both to international companies. You have legal issues as well, so ultimately it really is up to you and what your goals are.

Undoubtedly the best advice is to start with a small business and to make your first steps in business in the well known situation with duties in your own country. There are many obstacles during making business abroad. One of them is the differences in psychology of the customers in the other countries.

Depends on what size of business you are thinking of.

I started a small one and wanted only to deliver a few parts of Europe. But I got mail from many people outside Europe, who wanted to buy my stuff and asked if I would do post it to them. So I opend my business to worldwide.

You are ready for the rest of the world once your product quality is good. Some businessmen do business just to get some money and they went online. They find out that it is a wrong move.

I would suggest you to start as a small one. Once the business gets going you can expand gradually, this is how business is done cautiously and slowly instead of getting into a sea without knowing its depth.

Start small but be opened for all that is coming up. As I pointed already out I started with a small shop and went international.

And believe me or not some things are searched around the world even if it is usual stuff in your country.