1. In the next 11 seconds, someone will start a home based business.



2. Home-based businesses rake in more than $427 billion/yr.That's more than GM, Ford and Chrysler all put together!

3. Success rate for home based businesses is better than for other types of business. e.g., About 70% of home-based businesses will survive over three years compared to 29% of other business ventures.(Home-Based Business Institute)

4. Women run 70% of home-based businesses. There are 2.1 million women business owners with children.(National Foundation of Women Business Owners)

5. Average income for profitable home based businesses is $63,000 a year.

And more than 20,000 business owners in the US earn more than a million dollars a year from a home based setting.

But why are so many looking for a legitimate home based business? The lucrative income potential shown above is one obvious reason. But there are others...

In this age of corporate down sizing and an acute shortage of jobs many turn to the home business arena for greater employment security and job satisfaction...

Many of us watch helplessly as gas prices skyrocket making daily travel to work more and more expensive. Increasing traffic congestion and longer commutes only add to the frustration.

For many families salaries have not kept up with the increasing cost of living. So instead of spending quality time with their young children and their mates, more people have to struggle with a second job (sometimes a third) just to make ends meet. At the end of the week many are so tired that they have little capacity to enjoy what they've worked so hard to get. Is it any wonder that so many look for a legitimate home based business?

Perhaps you have noticed that most traditional corporate jobs are designed around the needs of the corporation with little consideration for the needs of the individual. For example, employee benefits are often cut back while no allowance is made for increasing daycare expenses.

In view of this and the tremendous income potential in your own home based business it's not surprising that you and many others are looking for a legitimate home based business opportunity to reach your financial goals.

But how can you make sure that the opportunity is right for you? And what pitfalls should you guard against in your search?...

If you've spent anytime looking into home based businesses, you've seen some of the hype, false promises and outright scams. Therefore do your home work right. Look carefully at each opportunity that interests you and pay attention to the following...

1. Steer clear of any promise of getting rich overnight without any work. Trust me, that's not realistic!

2. Expect to make good money but be prepared to put effort into it. In some business models where there is residual income, your effort should decrease as you build up the business.

3. No business can survive without a steady stream of customers to buy your products or services. Therefore a legitimate home based business must have an inexpensive way to get loads of traffic either to your web site or your front door.

4. You should not have to depend on family and friends to be your customers. Even if you had a big enough family or enough friends this would get old fast and cost you their friendship!

5. A successful home business is more than just a good product. It's more than just a good marketing plan.

A legitimate home based business means:

Having ALL the necessary pieces in the right mix to achieve your financial goals.

6. Your time and money are precious so avoid waste...

Don't reinvent the wheel. Instead, find a reputable company with all the pieces already in place and buy into their proven program.

7. Make sure that the program provides sufficient training and that it features real products with great value and a generous profit margin to pay you well.

8. The program should leverage the power of the Internet to bring you sales 24 hours a day, seven days a week, all year. But the company should not require you to buy high priced leads from them. Instead they should show you how to generate your own leads at a very low cost, including the use of free advertising methods now widely available on the Internet.

Such opportunities are readily available to you and can get you started fast in a legitimate home based business that will enable you to achieve all your financial goals.