If you're installing mySQL with Brew, there are a few additional tasks you'll want to complete before you can start the server.
1. Run...
$ mysql_install_db
from the installation directory.
2. Make a mysql dir inside /etc/
$ sudo mkdir /etc/mysql
3. Create a mysql config file inside your new mysql directory...
$ sudo vim /etc/mysql/my.cnf
and set the base directory of your mysql install by adding the following text to the .cnf file:
[mysqld]
basedir=/usr/local/Cellar/mysql/5.5.27/
