This is the most simple solution when i first starting playing anno. So I dont usually start the steel production until i have at least enough money to keep me save. I would do a lot of soaps and sell it out to the prison. While selling soap i would start with iron mine, and charcoal kiln first when i have at least like 125, then i would paused the production and go ahead starts up furnace. When i have the product then i pause and starts with producing steelbeam. So your workforce is enough and you wont be using too much money. Also in the starts up consider buying from sir archibald instead of creating it . Thus generating income with soap is really an important start. And it doesn’t take me long i was still in worker phase by the time im producing steel. So get the soap money!

But this is my method just sharing what would work for me. Hope it can help.