1 Proficient Brewer / Cook
1 Proficient Planter / Herbalist
1 Proficient Weaponsmith / Armoursmith
1 Proficient Mechanic
1 Proficient Dodger / Teacher
1 Skilled Diagnostician / Competent Surgeon / Novice Wound Dresser / Bone Doctor / Suturer
1 Novice Appraiser / Judge of Intent / Negotiator / other leadery skills as I feel like it
Mining, masonry, carpentry, and food processing are handled by anyone who's not doing anything else, and these tasks are later taken over by immigrants. The fortress generally remains as a hole in a hill until I have enough labour (but still less than 20 dwarves), at which point the hill is collapsed and work begins.
Loadout:
2 picks
1 axe (sometimes the raw materials for one, but generally I have enough points to just take the weapons)
1 anvil
some dogs
some blind cave turtles (mod, for shells)
assorted food and drink, for barrels
some thread
some wood
some seeds
stone to build a forge (stops raccoons from running off with the anvil)
Embarks always have running water and some trees or plants available. The herbalist goes and finds some berries while the carpenter makes up a couple of barrels, and once they're brewed up and the seeds extracted you have a food and drink supply going. The miners map out the caverns and magma sea, 'cause I like to know where everything is before I start planning layout.
Animals trained by a dwarf will tend to follow that dwarf around. Bringing them pre-trained should mean they hang around like untrained animals.