"I hate corporate life and don't like being someone else's employee. I'm working to make someone else rich, I'm accountable for every hour of the day to my boss, I hate having to go ask my boss for days off, vacations, and holidays. I'm basically being treated like I can't run my own life without my boss's intervention." You hear it all of the time, people saying they would love to have their own business.



Sound familiar to you? As many people will attest to, starting your own business, much less a home based business, may not be the answer one is looking for in their lives. Why do I say this? Survivability of a home based business or even a new brick and mortar is questionable looking at the statistics. You all know what they are and they're not too impressive. You hear everything from one to five years and they're out of business for whatever reason.

Many people forget the primary basic essence of success in any business venture is you, the individual making the decisions. One must evaluate themselves in great detail with serious introspection to determine if owning any type of business is viable for them. So, how does one go about this journey of discover? Good question.

Look into the field for which you are most interested and locate someone who is successful and where you want to be in the future. Contact them and inquire as to their willingness to spend some time with you and discuss your plans and dreams. You're looking for their insight and guidance for your endeavor. Many successful people are willing to spend time with people serious in their quest and are willing to share their experiences and offer their advice.

Evaluate your home environment for the viability of having a home based business. Do you have an area that you can designate totally to where you will work your business? I'm not really talking about the kitchen table but, as we all know, many a major corporations and businesses started at the kitchen table. You want a quiet atmosphere, away from the interruptions of kids and pets. Have a nice business desk and very comfortable chair and room for your computer, printer, and some simple file drawers. All of this is relatively inexpensive.

Know in your heart that you can work from home without the typical supervision one would receive in an office environment. One must be able to make phone calls and focus on the tasks at hand without wanting to get up and vacuum, do the wash, or play with the pets. After all, this is "your" business and you are totally responsible and accountable to yourself for your results.

You may be lucky enough to have a mentor in your chosen industry but they will not be responsible for your success or your failure. That is a responsibility borne only by you as the business owner. In addition to a mentor, take advantage of local training through you Small Business Association and Chamber of Commerce small business trainings. Membership is nominal and it will get you out of the home to do quality networking with fellow businessmen.

Do your research into the business you would like to own. You may start simply with your own product or idea for your home based business. If you want much of the back office and other business activities done for you, there are direct sales, franchises, and network marketing opportunities available. Don't limit yourself in your search.

When should you go full time in your new home based business? To fully evaluate the viability of your business is a very perceptible and necessary question. It is normally recommended that you not go into full time status with your home based business until you have at least six months of finances saved for living expenses in the bank. In addition to that you want to make your current salary for at least three to six months in a row to insure the continuity is there for the transition without having to worry about income cycles that go up and down. Continuity is the key to long term success.

What you need to do before going into a home based business and follow through, this article is only a thumbnail sketch. As the individual, it all depends on you. Write down your goals, be specific and detailed, set time tables to be accountable, and be prepared to focus intently on your business for a solid six months to a year. Constantly re-evaluate your progress to stay on the right track. Be flexible as a home based business is a living entity. Keep an open mind and consistently work on personal development. You are the business and you are fully responsible for the success or failure based upon your attitude, mindset, and actions.