What are the steps for starting a website from scratch?

Set Goals - What is the purpose of the website? What will it try to accomplish? How will it contribute to your cause, bottom line, ego?

Site Outline - What content will go on your site? How will it be organized? What will it do? Determine the major sections of the website and break your content down by which section it will be placed in.

Wireframe/Mockups - Create a basic framework for the visual display of the site. Determine approximate placement for content, calls to action, interactive elements, video, etc. This can be done on paper of using a mockup tool such as Mockingbird.

Design - Using the wireframe/mockup as a guide, create the actual design of the website. This would be the actual graphic elements that make up the look and feel of the site.

Integration/Coding - Using the designed graphic elements and other content that has been developed, code out the individual pages in HTML/CSS and other presentation technology (such as Flash) as needed.

Test and Revise - Once all of the pieces are brought together, test the website to ensure it works properly in modern web browsers, passes any technical tests required (such as HTML/CSS validation if required). Revise as needed.

Launch! - Once the site is ready, select a hosting provider and put the site online. If you will be using your own domain name, I recommend selecting a variety of possible domain names and registering the ones you may want to use. At launch use the one you like the best and redirect the others to the main site (assuming you purchased more than one).