Now you need ability to accept major credit cards. I struggled with this option for quite a while. There are several options available, but I think simplest option is to open up a PayPal account at http://paypal.com. No other service I have found offers ideal combination of low transaction rates, acceptance of all major credit cards and no start up fees. The one downside to using PayPal is that they require your customers to have a user name and password. While this is free for user, it puts some of them off. OK, it's not a perfect solution but ideal solution costs at least $199.00 in signup fees then about $10.00 to $35.00 per month in additional fees. That is simply not acceptable for a brand new business trying to make something happen on a tight budget. So start with PayPal and if you get successful, then switch to a merchant account.

The last three items require more time than money. You need a product or service to sell. Again, you can get this for free. There are all sorts of businesses on Internet that want you to sell their products. If you do a search for word affiliate in Google, you will find thousands of companies wanting you to send traffic their way. In exchange, they will give you money. However, you may also have some physical goods you'd like to sell. Find something that interests you then find a manufacturer or distributor who will sell you products at wholesale prices. This is not hard to do. You simply need to do some research and make some phone calls. You can pretty much become a retailer in any business.

Now you need to write your content. Your content should be written in HTML. If you don't already know how to write HTML, a good place to start would be http://hotwired.lycos.com/webmonkey/

The last thing you will need is traffic. You are in luck on this one as well. These days, one of best ways to generate traffic is to be highly listed on a search engine. The king of all search engines is Google.com. They get about 2/3 of all search traffic out there. Therefore, if you are trying to build a business on a shoestring, you should optimize your site for inclusion in Google and submit it for free. However, you need to be very, very careful before you submit to Google first time. I highly recommend that you research exactly how to optimize your site before submitting for first time. You can visit http://www.rankwrite.com/articles.htm for some helpful information in optimizing your site. The reason you want to be careful is that it takes about two months for Google to list you in their site. If you get a poor ranking in Google, they will take longer to visit your site next time to update their database. This can cause you to have few to no visitors for months.

OK, that's it. There is no reason in today's economy why you can't be successful without spending a lot of money. Of course, this all requires time and effort on your part. If you prefer to let someone else do all work, that's where I come in. I run a business called resqpc.com. I can do all of this for you. Just don't expect me to charge you only $30.00. If you have any questions, just drop me a line. Good Luck.

Critics are rarely as close as you are to a situation. They do not know all details and cannot understand all that you are thinking. When you see an opportunity that others do not, take a cue from these winners and persevere.

3) Don't automatically dismiss underdog.

Sarava was McPeek's third string horse. After losing two early favorites - one to injury, second when horse's owner moved him to another trainer - he was left with underdog Sarava. It would have been easy to give up dream. Instead, while others ogled expected winner War Emblem and superstar trainer Bob Baffert, McPeek looked for strengths in his own horse and saw what others did not - a winner.

It is easy to look at superstars and reigning champions in our own industries and become discouraged. Instead, look for strengths in your situation and take advantage of opportunities they represent.

4) Know when to make your move.

Jockey Prado deliberately ran fifth, behind War Emblem, through most of race. When favorite choked, weakened from a stumble at gate, Prado was ready. He made his move, riding around War Emblem, and then pushing past others to earn victory.

Strong competitors are not infallible. Look for chinks in armor. Also, do not discount "Murphy's Law", which can strike without prejudice. When an opportunity arises - whether one you created or one presented to you - be ready to make your move.

5) Speak up but stay humble.

During interviews, McPeek pointed out what he had done to win race, but he did not brag. His competitors are still major contenders. He knew that bragging about Belmont win could mean eating crow in a future race.

The same philosophy holds true for our own successes. The situation ebbs and flows. Today's victors may be tomorrow's strugglers. Being humble and likable when you are in spotlight can garner support through future difficulties.

Follow these five lessons from a long shot and I will see you at races!

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To learn more about Ken McPeek, visit McPeek Racing Web site, http://www.mcpeekracing.com. As a side note, have a look at "Points of Difference" page for examples of positioning and differentiation.