So what's the problem with that? Why shouldn't you wait for the riches to start rolling in before investing in a professionally designed custom website? Here are three of the most important reasons to give up the cheap/free WYSIWYG site and invest in a quality, custom website.
1: Do it yourself websites are unprofessional - very few of the templates offered by DIY services look professional. Although some are designed well, most are designed by students trying to build up their portfolio, while making the web a prettier place by showing off their skillz. There is nothing wrong with that, as long as it's a personal blog or something, but - if you really want to have a professional site that screams, "I believe in this business and want it to be a great experience for my customers/readers!" - you want to hire someone who knows about user experience design. Otherwise, you'll just be screaming, "This is my hobby that I wouldn't mind making a few bucks at!"
2: They make you look like everyone else - if several thousand other people have the same template for their business as you do for yours, how will the public distinguish your brand from theirs? Think of it as you think of your favorite "special" stores - the markets and boutiques that have the look and feel that sets them apart from Macy's or Target, which are pretty much the same no matter where you go. Do you want to look like a big box, cookie cutter store or do you want people to remember how different and special you are? Granted, you don't want to go too different unless you are an artist of some sort, but you do want to distinguish yourselves from what anyone can get anywhere.
3: They are difficult to grow - As your business grows and your riches come in, you need your site to be able to evolve accordingly. Having a professional design and development team behind your site will help you add and modify your site as needed, and will be able to make suggestions about stuff you never would have thought of. Can you add video or audio? What about widgets...can you customize them without emailing help desk a thousand times to be able to understand the job at hand? Are you minding your SEO and traffic stats and if so, how do you find the time for website upgrades along with the marketing and strategy?
There is a reason that successful entrepreneurs don't build their own site: they recognize that a great user experience is imperative to a successful online presence. They know that just like a pair of free shoes will probably wear out quickly, a free website was out of style and full of holes before they even adopted it. Plus, look at all the other important stuff they have to worry about - content, marketing, partnerships - when would they have time to be an expert in web user experience, coding, and design?
So unless you're happy with your McMansion filled with things you could have purchased anywhere in the world, you should set your business website apart from the rest. Even if you are selling vintage clothing or $5 jewelry, it's no excuse to not take your business seriously. After all, many people become financially successful because they sell inexpensive yet unique items.
So take the website part of your business just as seriously as you do the physical side. Just as you clear the aisles and face the product names in the physical store to provide a pleasing experience for the customer, you should make your online "store" as easy to navigate and to find things. You don't have to spend a fortune doing it, but you get what you pay for. Take yourself and your business seriously.
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