I agree with most of what's been said here. I started shooting photography almost three decades ago and I still use the same sturdy light stands, barndoors and umbrellas ... so I would strongly support buying the best stands and light modifiers you can. I also do a lot of location shooting (events, business portraits, weddings, etc.) and would NOT go anywhere without my sturdy equipment cart. Finally, if you do plan to do a lot of location shoots, I would highly recommend getting equipment that travels easily and can be set up quickly. I bought a cheap softbox that I love, but it takes about 20 minutes to set up, so I never travel with it.
As for the type of lights you get ... I'm a big fan of affordable lighting so long as you can control them. The whole concept of the importance of "the quality of the light" meant more when everyone was shooting film, and will rarely be of any concern to you, since you can adjust for that with your white balance adjustment. And, if you have a shoot where color matching is critical, you can rent a color temperature meter and make detailed adjustments to your white balance.
My light recomendations --
Since you're just starting out, Alien Bees or White Lightening will do just fine -- they're affordable, lightweight, sturdy and provide a lot of control. As you're business grows and you learn more about your specific lighting needs, you can always upgrade to other (more expensive) lights if you feel the need -- and hopefully by then you'll be making a lot of money from your photography and you'll easily be able to afford whatever new lights you feel is necessary.
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