Hey Kano,
Your steps sound pretty good 
But I do it a little bit differently.
My first step is to find and secure a good domain name. You can build a site first if you like, but I think its better to secure a good domain name before building a site. Since there are hardly any names left, its best to buy one as quickly as possible
Then I work on the site and join affiliate programs at the same time. After the site is completed, I then find hosting for the website. Then I start advertising the website and building links to it. After that, its just a matter of maintaining the website, and building links to it as well.
I don’t know anything about your last questions relating to certification, but hope my post has helped you a little bit at least Good luck.