What should I do with my business/website plans? (total newbie)?

I am a scientist and own a great URL for a base product that's used in 1,000s of foods, which has health benefits. I wrote a very detailed review of this and was going to put it on my website and sell advertising links or space (I do not know how yet) but then thought the article would just be pilfered (I know it would be since my last little article was, to the extreme, and I didn't profit at all from my work).
So, I thought, what if I wrote it as an e-book or through Lulu.com as a book, it's short but powerful, and then sold the book on my website as well as advertising. But then, don't people come to a site because it has "content" that's free? I'm not sure which way I should go. I also want to make my own food product which captures the best aspects of this ingredient--or is it best to stick to intellectual properties only?
Any help, even leads would be greatly appreciated, as I am an academnician not a business-person.

First - a hard question for you ... what do you really want to do with your life? You need to work with your strengths and passion rather than do things you are not good at.

If your passion is science and research, then focus on finding someone who you can work with to create and market your food products based on the ingredients.

If your passion is business, then spend some time immersing yourself in learning about the net and business. With the net the best strategy is first to work out if there is a market who is willing to pay for your niche before you go and spend a lot of money developing your own product.

The best free course on the net I have personally done is called the thirty day challenge with Ed Dale http://www.thirtydaychallenge.com/. Lots of brilliant content that will help answer some of the details about precisely how to go about it.

I personally believe in the net model of lots of brilliant content and information freely shared. For example I write a free weekly newsletter for small businesses about everything from marketing to human resources that you may be interested in to learn more if you decide to follow the business path http://www.heartharmony.com.au/.

Good luck with your search ... remember to start with what you want to achieve and what you are good at first!

I am working on a similar project. I can show you some examples and possibly help to give advice on how to put it in a website. My advice is free. I just enjoy meeting new people with the same interests. I hope I can help.

BEST WISHES & HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Hi I'm Alex from Indonesia..maybe you can get into Anne Ahira course in Indonesia, http://www.sekolahinternetahira.com/
Her teaching is very comprehensive about internet marketing..hope it help..