Although retail requires a lot of micromanagement it's extremely profitable. Instead of relying on retailers or producers to buy your product in bulk on the market, and also having to deal with massive competition (depending on your area of interest), retail guarantees profit even if you just import everything. Taking the time to find good deals on the market is a win win for both you and the seller since you're making even more profit, and they're actually selling their stuff. This means that people producing things like chairs or tables are rewarded when there are others running hardware/office supply chains.
After trying a number of different "starting builds" I'd say that retail is definitely the easiest way to get a head start when you're new. The less you pay for factories and research, the more you can invest in stocking your store and advertising. Just be smart about it and pay attention to demand. Don't import EVERYTHING. For the good of everyone (including yourself), only import when it's cheaper or if the mass producers aren't providing the item.
I really love logging in and seeing my initial 100k turn into 500k just from a single store. I have a furniture factory and a couple of profitable lumber camps on the side, everything is looking up. Ratan Joyce even bought some of my excess lumber! What a generous fellow.