What business will you start? For some people the answer to this may be obvious. If you are a skilled car mechanic, bookkeeper, photographer or gardener, for example, starting a business within your field of expertise is likely to offer you by far the best chances of satisfaction and success. If, however, you don't have a special skill or interest to base a business around, you will need to give this decision some careful thought.

There is a huge range of home-based businesses you could run. They can be roughly divided into five main categories:

Professional -Bookkeeper, computer programmer, graphic designer, accountant, architect, personal tutor, interior designer, etc.

Creative - Writer, photographer, artist, desktop publisher, sculptor, etc.

Service - Childminders, introduction agency proprietor, private investigator, proofreader, indexer, babysitter, upholsterer, carpet cleaner, etc.

Craft - Woodworker, toy-maker, picture-framer, French polisher, jewelery-maker, and a range of other craft-based occupations.

Physical - Window cleaner, gardener, personal fitness trainer, builder, odd-job man, car cleaner/valet, curtain-maker, etc.

Of course, any attempt to categorize in this way is somewhat arbitrary. Creative workers such as photographers and artists also have to use physical skills and provide a 'service' to their clients. Likewise, many people in businesses listed above under 'Service' quite reasonably regard themselves as professionals as well. Nevertheless, this basic division may help set you thinking about the range of businesses you could start and what type might suit you best.

The actual choice of business is entirely up to you. For many people, starting their own business based on skills acquired through working for an employer is both a logical and an attractive proposition. On the other hand, if you do not enjoy your work and wish to do something different to make a living, clearly you will need to look elsewhere for this.

A hobby or interest has provided the basis for many a successful business. Gardening, photography, craft work and working as a tourist guide are all examples of businesses which could arise from this source. Of course, you may need to improve your skills and knowledge before you can ply your trade for money - but in most fields there are courses you can take which will (given a modicum of aptitude and ability on your part) bring you up to a professional standard.

Even if you don't have a hobby or interest you could develop into a business, there are still plenty of options open to you. Many of the businesses require basic skills which can be acquired relatively easily: household cleaning, babysitting, window cleaning, pet boarding, commission selling, renting a room, and so on. Or you may be able to learn a skill from scratch by taking a course.

Interior design, financial advice work and many alternative therapies are examples of businesses you could start after completing a period of study and passing the relevant examinations. Both open learning and standard college courses in these and similar occupations are widely available. Though it must be said that if you choose this path you may have to wait a bit longer before you are able to get your business up and running - a period of years in some cases.