Free technical and management assistance is available from the Small Business Development Center, a subsidiary of the USA Small Business Administration. Start-up investments vary as widely as the range of possible business ideas, and again, it is crucial to talk with people who have succeeded in a venture similar to yours. Find out what the essential equipment is, the basic marketing costs and strategies, and how long it took them to break even. Hidden costs are the perks or benefits provided by employers, which must be deducted from your profit as a self-employed worker. These include medical insurance, retirement, social security, and taxes.
Entrepreneurs receive no paid vacations, sick leave or paid holidays.
A successful new business will fill a need in the community. Do your homework to find out where those needs are and how your skills can fill them. Home-based alternatives to starting your own business include buying a franchise or telecommuting for an employer. Home Business magazine offers listings for these types of opportunities. The internet is also a source of computer-oriented jobs for telecommuters, and recently posted listings in the areas of freelance writing, cartooning, graphic design, computer services sales, telemarketing and data entry, to name a few.