How do I turn an idea into something tangible?

i would suggest yes focus more on back-end & put face later on

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your main priority should be working website on the idea. you can easily play with front-end later on.

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there are also various website builder solutions (wix, squarespace, shopify, wordpress, etc) If your answer is No #1, you might want to research those. They might be cheaper and faster than hiring someone.