There are some Facebook groups around with folks doing this kind of thing. The one I follow is "WISPs turned FISPs" with lots of folks building FTTH networks on small scales. (not sure how to link directly to a FB group.)
Also shameless plug for my website startyourownisp.com which has a similar theme.
Where did you end up running the fiber to, and how did you find out about this nearest connection point? Thank you for sharing your experience, very inspiring.
I had to build it 2 miles north to a fiber rich intersection. Even with it there it doesn't mean anyone will sell to you. I kept getting results a mile east or west of where I was going. Things like fiber locator or infrarpedia can help you figure out who is there.
Cool sutff, I wish I had the capital to do something like this. Although given how hard the existing ISPs are fighting against municipal internet here I wonder how I'd fare.
IME it's rarely (if ever) pushback from incumbents that kills a small ISP. Generally it's all the same kinds of things that any other business struggles with - making your product something people actually want, letting people know it's available, finding the right employees, etc.
Local regulatory barriers exist and if you aren't persistent you can't overcome them. There were many times where I wondered if it was a bad idea or .. what am I doing here.
Being a telephone company made it easier to permit and working with the groups to permit it became possible.
Also shameless plug for my website startyourownisp.com which has a similar theme.