Who doesn't like independence All of us crave to be master of our destiny. We want to make our decision. We want to set our objectives and we like to choose the way we can achieve those objectives. We want to choose our work and our working hours. Some of us might be particular about who do they work with. We want to accomplish work that matches our qualifications, aptitude, passion, temperament, professional competence and experience. We want an ideal balance between our personal lives and our professional life. We want that elusive sense of pride, satisfaction and monetary rewards from what we do day in day out. And if these criteria are not enough, we want to work from our home. Sounds familiar Welcome to the exciting world of home business entrepreneurs!

Run a realty check on yourself

Before you start looking for the ideal business opportunity there are crucial question that need specific answers. They are necessary to determine your priorities and this initial spadework will increase chances of your success. So ponder well and the answer the following questions after much deliberation. Your answers will help you spot the right business opportunity.

How strong is your commitment to start a home business of your own

Do you have the iron will, and steely determination to surmount the number obstacles that will invariably test you before you succeed Would you put in that extra ounce of energy after you have spent it all Only committed individual would answer an emphatic yes here. And they are the ones more than likely to succeed.

Have you sold anything so far

Lets face the fact that backbone of any business is selling. At the end of the day, it is invariably about selling a product or service or smile! You must have a cheerful attitude of a diehard sales person. You should be unfazed after 53 rejections, 43 cancalled appointments, 37 cold calls or 15 personal visits that required you to driven 50 miles to make a sale. These tests of endurance are part of almost any business venture. They happen to anyone before she meets a real customer who is interested in what she wants to sale. Madcap cofounder of www.tripod.com and author of the best seller Smart or Lucky has mentioned his most successful salesperson in the book. This master salesman would never take the rejection personally. The process of sales starts with a clear no from the custromer. The real sales efforts after that! he has written in the book.

Do you like to be in driver's seat

Any business, even of you run it from your home is about making decisions. Some of them could be tough decision indeed because each decision will have distinct consequences. Do you start small or big How do you price your product or service Do you extend credit to certain limit for a certain customer If you are in internet based flower delivery business, how many varieties of flower would you offer initially How much would you pay to your support staff or affiliates Do you stock the product yourself or you subcontract it Where do you keep your warehouse Making such decision requires guts and even temperament. If your answer is yes, you are on your way to run your home business.

What kind of person are you

Your inherent nature and temperament will determine the kind of business you are most likely to succeed. If you are a person with excellent communication skill, you could capitalize on it by doing a business that can flourish on human interaction and personal chemistry. If you love children, you would know what kind of stuffed toys a three-year-old kid would love. If have owned pets since your childhood, you would do well in pet food or pet caring business. If you want to know how can you turn this passion into business, Read the book How to Start a Home-Based Pet Care Business by Kathy Salzberg. If you are number crunching financial type, choose business that requires strong mathematical skills. Choose what is closest to you because that extra doze of passion will help you get through dreadful days and dark nights.

When you have answered the question and analyzed them yourself you would have your priorities in correct order. That accomplished, the spotting the ideal opportunity is much easier.

Use all the avenues to find the best opportunity:

Now comes the easier part of actually finding the ideal opportunity that matches your profile. Read hands-on books on the business you have in mind. Go through old issue of business magazine like Entrepreneur and Home Business. Also, why not use the most powerful tools to spot a business opportunity that is ideal for you Use Internet. There are hundreds of search engines with millions of site giving wealth of information. Get familiar with profiles of your customer. Understand the nature of your business. Check the price of raw materials and cost of labor you might need for your business. Calculate your risks carefully. Make your business plan. If you dont have a big capital to invest, search the sites that offer variety of computer based revenue sources such as www.homejobsdirectory.com and www.paidsurveyonline.com. This knowledge is invaluable investment that will prepare you like nothing else. You will come across many home business entrepreneurs who started just like you and succeeded. You will also know the pitfalls to avoid. And how to maximize profits avoiding mistakes they made and using the tricks they invented. Be open and enthusiastic when accepting ideas.

Now that you have got the exact feel of what are you getting into start your own search. Choose the search words carefully and put them in search engine such as yahoo.com, aol.com, google.com aol.com, hotbot.com and lycos.com. They are well known for their reliability and they will provide more information and choices than anyone might need. Distill the information. Compare the opportunities with your risk taking ability, professional competence and market you could serve. Be mindful of the time you would be able to devote for your business. I

The final check before you take the big plunge

After you have chosen your home business, a final step to make you more confident about your decision. If you have a friend or relative who has ventured into home business, do not hesitate to consult them for a second opinion. You never know how important their advice could turn out to be. If you can afford it, hire an independent consultant to make your choice foolproof and strategically sound. Spend enough time to finalize the opportunity that match your priorities.

Give all your commitment, energy and time. Success could not be far behind!