Assuming I'm right, then you've probably covered some basic steps, such as narrowing in on a specific target market and deciding what your unique selling proposition is. Perhaps you want to turn your hobby into a full time income. Whatever case, you'll need to have a number of things in place in order to do business online. The most obvious is a website.

Unfortunately, this is where much of information you'll see online starts to get fuzzy. What you typically see are comments about how easy it is to create a website "so just go ahead and do it." Often these sites will tell you to go buy a book on HTML, because "it's so easy to learn, you'll have your website created in a weekend."

To an extent I agree. However, mastering HTML isn't something that can be done in a weekend. More importantly, mastering it at a level that will allow you to create a website that projects a polished and professional image takes much more time than most entrepreneurs have.

This might not be case if all you had to worry about was creating your web presence. However, as someone who is diligently working to launch (or expand) a small business, you've typically got to do everything yourself. What follows is only a partial list of things you'll need to be working on, in no particular order.

1. Domain name 2. Hosting Service Provider 3. Sourcing products or creating your own 4. Creating marketing material (Whether digital or printed) 5. Researching potential partners 6. Creating a newsletter or ezine 7. Driving targeted traffic to your website 8. Deciding how you'll accept payments online 9. Creating a terms of use statement for your site 10. Creating a privacy statement for your site 11. Setting up one or more autoresponders

Anyway, you get idea.

Now, if your "day job" is webmaster for Thingamabobs Inc. then creating a website for your new enterprise WILL be easy. But, if your "day job" is as Doorman at Thingamabobs Inc., you probably don't know your H-T-M-L from your X-M-L from your A-S-P from your M-O-U-S-E.

I can't argue against value of learning HTML. I've spent years learning to program in many different languages and scripting technologies. Having this knowledge is what allows me to provide for my family.

However, for human beings that don't have a background in ways-of-the-web there's a hugely overlooked resource available to anyone willing to invest some time and effort.

By Denise Hall (C) 2003

Many of us dream of someday having our own business. Whether it is a grocery store, craft supply shop or accounting office we dream of being our own boss.

For many others ultimate business is to work from comfort of our own homes. Why? Because there are many advantages to working from home.

Home businesses have low overhead costs, therefore more profit.

You don't need as much money for start-up costs as a typical business needs.

You can set your own hours and work around your other important activities.

You don't have to get dressed up to go to work. Work in your pajamas and bathrobe if you'd like.

But for some people this dream may seem unattainable. They have no idea where to begin. They're not sure what they want to do. The dream is hard to picture as a reality.

Ask yourself some questions before deciding if a home business is for you.

1. What are your interests or hobbies?

2. How much do you know about those subjects?

3. Do you feel you can contribute your knowledge and skills to others in a professional manner?