Firstly, you'll should plan on doing most/all the work yourself. This isn't strictly required, but I find it to be the most fun part of the job. Save the money for advertising, PR, link building, domain registration, company formation, accountants, etc.

Alternately, you can select a product you you want to build, save for a few months, and then just pay someone to do it for you. There was a good interview on Mixergy about exactly this method, where a $2k investment turned into $80k/month. http://mixergy.com/free-apps-interview/ I wouldn't expect to have the same kind of success, but it is something you could pursue.

If you are more interested in sitting back and investing in established companies, a lot of people will try to sell you hot stocks or whatever. Don't listen. In the long run (3-5 years) no one, save a very few people like Warren Buffet, beat the market. Roll some percentage of your money into an S&P index, and international index, and a bond index, then re-balance every year. The closer to retirement you are, the more money should become cash or CD's. The younger, typically the more in stock + international. It's boring, but it's the surest way to have your portfolio grow.

Personally, I prefer the startup route (but I do plenty of investing as well).

Good luck!

- specialized WordPress Plugin development and sales

- making Android or iPhone apps

- making HTML5 apps with a mobile phone framework, and which work on Android and iPhone phones

On getting programmers, you'll want to keep trying, and putting comments out in forums and anywhere you can. I advise you to find some programmer in or near your timezone so that you don't end up playing the timezone game. And you'll likely want to check in another hemisphere. For instance, if you're in NYC, you could consider contacting some developer in Brazil.

Be excited to lose the money tho and chalk it up to schooling/learning.