I have personally provided guidance and advice to hundreds of people seeking to either start a new, or in some way improve their existing home based business. Quite frankly, the success of those I've assisted has been mixed. Run the other way, anytime you run across someone who tells you otherwise. This may surprise you that I would admit this, but I am adamant about being honest and up front with potential online business owners.

What then are the differences and "lessons learned" from both the successful and the unsuccessful home based business marketers? What are the keys that separated the two categories? This article seeks to identify a few of the more critical of those differences, allowing you to benefit from their experiences - the good, the bad, and the ugly!

One of the most common differences is how well the successful home business entrepreneur's handled the enormity of information and things to learn. Most certainly, running a home based business on the internet is different than any other medium, business or practice. Learning these differences, adapting and delivering new products and services that potential clients are willing to pay for ---in a quick and efficient manner can make a huge difference. Call it information overload or whatever, dealing with the reality of it is a key.

Having realistic expectations is another area most commonly that "newbies" overlook or loose sight of in starting up new home business activities. The simple fact is, it takes "years" to build a solid internet business. (not hours, days or weeks ? no matter what those fancy ads or the hype might say!!)

Sure, there are lots of variables, situations, niche opportunities that may perhaps alter this reality (increased or decreased time needed). But being prepared for and coping with this is a key to success.

Running a successful home based business takes a lot of your time. Sure, at first the allure of working from home sounds simple. The motivations might range from spending more time with kids, sick or homebound love ones, an easier pace of life, etc.

Many unsuccessful potential home business marketers serious underestimate the amount of time it takes (for a long period of time) to get to a point of the "part-time work for full-time pay" syndrome promised by many of the false ads.

A final observation about the differences between success and failure lies in the choice or selection of product or service made by home based business owners. I continue to firmly believe that one of the single most important factors is to start out working on and with a product or service that you have a passion and keen interest for. With all the other variable and factors to overcome in being successful, you will be glad in the long run that you made your choice using this as a criteria. The benefits are multiple and become evident in how you approach everything about your business. Believe me, potential customers know and can tell the difference as well.

Not to worry. There are more successful home based businesses today than ever before. It is certainly possible for almost any to achieve. Once they understand, accept and are willing and able to make the necessary sacrifices to learn, adapt and grow your business and yourself.