Many with entrepreneurial skills and vision find tremendous satisfaction and success by owning and operating their own small home business.

Running a small business even from home involves a wide range of activities, including developing a business plan, overseeing sales and marketing, dealing with personnel, and innumerable administrative responsibilities.

If you think you're up to the challenge, owning your own business can be tremendously rewarding, both personally and professionally. Getting a new venture up and running takes particular business skills and personality traits.

If you are considering starting your own busi¬ness, the following questions may help you decide if you're up to the challenge.

Do You Have the Mindset?

Do you have organizing ability?

Are you prepared to wait several months or more before you make a profit?

Do you like to think ahead and plan for your future, then work to make it happen?

Are you psychologically ready to take some risk?

Do you have personal drive and leadership qualities?

Do you have special expertise in the business you want to start?

The right mindset is only the beginning. You'll need important busi¬ness skills as well. Do you know how to find your particular niche in the market and how to identify your customers?

Do you know how to sell enough of what you have, at a price that will return an adequate profit for you?

Although there are no guarantees, if you answered yes to most of these questions, you may have what it takes to be successful in start¬ing your own business. Just remember, every new business faces difficulties

Getting Started

Running a small business takes sharp business sense and tenacity. Knowing how to take advantage of market conditions and develop strategies to get through the tough times will help turn your great idea into a suc¬cessful business.

First, you'll need to develop a business plan, the road map you'll use to establish and guide your business. Consider every aspect of the busi¬ness, give some thought to the idea and ask every question you can think of, and be sure you come up with satisfactory answers.

What type of business do you want to start? Will it be retail, service or manufacturing?

What service or products will your business provide and what need will it fill?

Who are your potential customers going to be for your products or service and why will they purchase it from you?

What about the competition? Is the community large enough to support another similar business? Check out the local chamber of commerce and the yellow pages for details.

Where will you locate your business? Is there a similar business nearby? Get information on the community's plans for business growth, such as shopping malls and business park expansion.

Will you be able to find enough qualified people to employ? How will you sell to potential customers or clients? Where will you get the financial resources to start your business?

Get a clear and positive image in you mind of the most likely picture of what your business's future will be by using all available data and then write a business plan.

It's essential to have written a business plan. As painful as it might be to write, the busi¬ness plan will serve two critical purposes. Firstly to clarify your thoughts and secondly your business plan is your primary tool for securing financing

Starting your own business can be an exciting and rewarding that often brings financial success, along with a sense of accomplishment and contentment. Starting a business takes planning, determination, hard work and, maybe, just a little luck.

Go for it. And... good luck!