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@cornelius_blackfoot
I'm thinking you'll have to make some frames and loan them out to people, or sell them at cost, to get feedback on the quality, geometry, feedback etc. Speak to Scott about his Archie Grobags experience, he made prototypes, gave them to people for feedback, and at a lower cost, and then went into production on the final product.
Bikes are a really personal thing as we're all different shapes and sizes, you can charge a premium for being custom/handbuilt etc, but people generally only get to that point after having ridden, built up different bikes. Not sure someone would buy a custom handbuilt straight off as their first.
Also I think you'll need to figure out who your aiming for, what market you want. The whole fixed thing could be around for a while, or disappear back into its subculture roots in the next couple of years, are you going to build audax/track/road, etc. Personally think its best to concentrate on one sort of bike, one type of geometry, gain a good reputation for doing that and then branch out slowly.
Also whats your philosophy in relation to bikes, what sort of bikes do you ride, want to ride, and therefore want to make. The bikes you build for other people should be an extension of that philosophy, whether its all steel all the time, or lighter stronger faster, or bombproof is where its at. People will gravitate to you because they like what you're producing in relation to any of the following: quality, pricing, design, reputation, etc.
Also is there a market for your product, if you build it will they come and buy it. If not are you setting yourself up for a world of financial pain. Is this going to be your full time job, or will it supplement some other employment, how will you finance it whilst you grow your customer base, you may have thought of all of these things already, and I apologise if thats the case.
Personally I've bought four bikes in my life, an off the peg kona cindercone, which I rode for 15 years, a bmx from a friend of a friend who sepcializes in rebuilding old gt's, a soma road bike , an off the peg frame which I was sized for and I picked the components that my wallet could afford, and finally a titanium track bike which I got for small beer off ebay and for which I sourced the components myself from various places. If money was no object I'd get a custom built Lynskey Ti frame or a Pegoretti or an Independent Fabrications, because at this point in my bike life, custom's where its at, I want something which is built specifically for me, but I also believe that you shouldn't have more bikes than you can actively ride on a regular basis so if I did get the custom bike, one of the others would have to go.
Hope this helps, have a word with Velocity Boy, he's going through the process now with Robin Mather, so should be able to give you some relevant feedback. I think it comes down to money and time, how much money you have to spend and how much time you want to spend waiting for it. One final thing, I would say make frame and forks, possibly with a headset and a bottom bracket included, and then let the customer finish it off as they want. Trying to build up the finished bike for people might be more trouble than its worth.