hook to redirect user before they create node?
If I am understanding this correctly, this might be a job for hook_init(), eg something along these lines:

function YOURMODULE_init() {
  global $user;

  if ($user-&gt;uid) {

    $fails = /* whatever */ ;

    if ($_GET['q']!='node/add/foo') {

      if ($fails) {
        drupal_set_message('How about creating foo first...');
        drupal_goto('node/add/foo');
      }

    }

  }

}