Of course, home computer and internet use is becoming a major market force in this day and age. Did you know that, according to the Nielsen/NetRatings of March 2006, the average person spends 30.5 hours per month on their home computer? That’s about an hour a day. That time is not spent exclusively on shopping or other economic transactions, of course, but even the socializing, networking and personal stuff that makes up home computer use can affect how people use their money. You can be sure the internet is a large player in the world economy.

And the world economy is another reason in and of itself to turn to an internet home business opportunity. To thrive in the emerging global economy takes expanded thinking and expanded market share. The internet knows no boundaries, of course, and is not geographically limited. It truly is opening all kinds of business doors.

What types of internet home business opportunities, then, are there? Here are a sampling of ideas that come to mind:

1. Begin a blog about a subject you are interested in and know a lot about, put ads on the blog related to your topic, and generate revenue from those ads.
2. Obtain a website to market a particular product that you make or service that you offer.
3. Become an affiliate marketer, with a website that contains links through which your site readers can purchase products from other companies who then pay you a commission for each sale.
4. Provide clerical or administrative services to a company, that can be done via the internet.

As you might be able to tell, most of these ideas require a certain degree of website savvy. Now, for some, the challenge of mastering the internet is appealing and they incorporate it easily into their business plan, but that’s obviously not for everybody. It’s certainly possible to hire someone to provide you with this type of expertise, and many businesses do that, but it can be a large budget item and challenging for a beginning internet home business opportunity. Besides, just having a website isn’t enough… you have to get people to your website. That is an internet science about which a great deal has been written.

There is another form of internet home business opportunity that has the advantages of internet power, but does not require a lot of personal experience with website development. This type relies on what is called social marketing and its use across the globe. What if you were an independent distributor for products marketed around the world, and you could identify connections in other countries who could join your team in distributing products in other countries and you were all linked through the internet, with websites provided by the company whose products you distribute. That’s a mouthful, but do you get the picture? A “ready-made” internet home business opportunity. It’s a winning option for more and more people.

The need for an income opportunity is sort of obvious. There used to be a time when big corporate America was the place to make your mark, where being an executive with a large firm was seen as the pinnacle of success and such a position offered career security and long-term financial protection. That can still happen, I think, but it is no longer the norm for the majority of workers. With hundreds of thousands of people losing their jobs and layoffs becoming so common they are almost not newsworthy, many families find themselves in need of alternative sources of income now. The large employers across the nation aren’t hiring as they used to, of course, so former employees really have to look beyond the typical avenues to provide for themselves and their families.

This need to look beyond the typical avenues explains why the second phrase in the hopeful signpost — home based business — draws the attention it does. The home based business is a social and economic trend whose time has come. Statistics for 2005 (the most recent I could find) say there were 13.8 million income-generating home based businesses (that includes both part time and full time) in the United States alone. Does that surprise you? The home based business is a natural avenue to explore — it offers the little guy a chance to participate in the economic sector. But is it an alternative or a complement to the “corporate America” which seems to be suffering?

We can answer that question by looking at what home based business options there are. It seems like most of them can be grouped into one of these categories: service franchise operations; capitalizing on a skill or interest of yours and offering it to other people (child care, wedding consulting, pet services, lawn care, tax preparation, website development, etc. — the list is endless); offering products through a website, either products that you produce or as an affiliate of another company; and network marketing.

When we think of home based businesses in contrast to “big business,” the image of a lone pioneer can come to mind — someone who strikes out to make it on their own. And many home based businesses are primarily a solo venture. If you offer your unique individual skill or service for “hire,” or sell products that you produce, you will be in charge of your own business plan and development. You will be working primarily on your own.

Other options, though, involve alignment with an established company and/or a team. For example, service franchise operations provide the how and why details of running your business, and numerous companies are eager to explain how to become an affiliate marketer of their product or service. The business development model of social marketing inherently involves training and help from a business mentor, with the backing of a corporate system. So, although the traditional corporate America isn’t providing the “usual” income opportunity, it still can have a role to play in fulfilling the promise of that signpost saying “income opportunity: home based business.”

1. Something you can believe in – if you hate to cook, don’t join a company that markets kitchen gadgets. Even if you like to cook, be sure you can feel good about investing time and energy in sharing cooking tips. You want to truly believe in the mission behind your home based business opportunity, so that it is a natural expression of who you are.
2. The reputation of the company – we’ve all heard of home based business opportunities that have a widely held reputation of being questionable. Now, there are often going to be individuals who hold that opinion of any home based business organization; and you can find at least one person who will denigrate any given company. But I’m talking about the organizations that are commonly regarded as a scam. The longevity of the company can often be a factor in assessing this. Has the company operated under the same name for a length of time (having had to change the name suggests the possibility of hiding something)? That gives positive weight to its reputation.
3. Trends – the income potential of your home based business is affected by the industry in which it resides. As any business consultant will tell you, being aligned with economic and social trends is definitely something to strive for.
4. Infrastructure – what does the parent company look like? How secure is it? What kind of money supports the operations, research and development (if applicable), and distribution arms of the company? You are building your business on the foundation of the parent company’s infrastructure, so you want to be sure your foundation is firm.
5. Training – does this opportunity include a training program to help you get your questions answered, learn the ropes and progress as quickly as you desire? Does the training take advantage of new technology and resources that are current in this technological age?
6. Compensation Plan – of course, one should evaluate the compensation plan to ensure that it offers a reasonable return for time and effort, both in the short term and over time. The availability of residual income (do the work once, get paid for it continually) makes a compensation plan much more attractive. Consumable products also give strength to the income potential of a compensation plan. If your customers want something that gets used up monthly, there is more income potential than selling an item ten times or more as expensive that they will only need to buy once.
7. Reasonable Investment – is the initial investment to get started in this home based business opportunity a reasonable amount? And is there an initial investment? A legitimate home business will have an initial investment — this is a business after all! Consider, too, what you receive for that initial investment. It should be commiserate with the amount paid, and the contents should actually help you move forward with your home based business, not merely get you “signed up.”

Take these things into account and you are well on your way to finding the best home business opportunity. Good luck!

Well, it WILL take work. Any business takes work. Promises of being able to sit back and rake in the money are naturally suspect. This should be distinguished, however, from an opportunity that is touted as lucrative. Focused, dedicated work in a home based business CAN produce large returns, and there are legitimate home based business opportunities that can offer six figure incomes over the long term (how long depends on the person and the opportunity — I’m not talking about a get-rich-quick deal, but a “get rich eventually” deal where you continue to benefit from all the time and effort you have put into a business previously).

I also want to qualify what I mean by “work.” I know people with very successful home based businesses who would tell you they never work. They have an aversion to work. They would describe what they do as fun, meaningful activity for which they are financially rewarded. But they are doing the activities that are required for business development. Those of us who have discovered this variety of home based business opportunity are surely blessed.

Of course, hand-in-hand with the work is the requirement of time. It is generally recognized that any business (home based or otherwise) requires an investment of your time and energy. Typically, the more time you can devote, the faster and stronger your business will grow. Just like work, time does not have to be a constant variable in a home based business opportunity. In other words, many home entrepreneurs invest more time at the beginning of their businesses, and can sustain a successful enterprise eventually without having to commit as much time.

Another recognized standard of a home based business opportunity is that it will require start-up capital. I am always amazed at the ads, blog comments, and questions that ask for a work at home job that does not require you to pay anything to get started. Well, maybe I shouldn’t be so amazed. A work at home job is different than a work from home business opportunity. But if you want to work in a home based business opportunity, you have to expect some start-up costs. I mean, what business can you think of that doesn’t involve some expenditures to get off the ground? Even flyers to pass around the neighborhood for a teenage lawn mowing services have a cost associated with them (paper, ink, etc.)!

One should certainly be astute in assessing what you will receive for your start-up costs, and determining whether the required investment will yield a sufficient rate of return in the long run. I responded once to an ad to become a book editor working at home, and was asked to send $30 to get started. Much less experienced in this field at the time, I sent off my check, excited at the prospect of being paid for doing something I loved (reading) and was good at (detecting typos and errors on the printed page). What did I get for my money? A book telling me how to become a book editor working from home… a not very helpful book that made it clear there would be a long road to establish myself in this field. The ad to which I responded was obviously NOT a legitimate home based business opportunity, but only because I did not fully investigate what I would get for my $30 (actually there was no way to investigate it… which should have been a sure-tell sign it was not legit.) So, it is true that some required home based business start-up costs are not legit, but don’t let that obscure the reality that if you want a home based business, you will have to invest some money. Good grief, even corporate tax law offers special tax treatment for business start-up costs. They are absolutely a valid part of a home based business opportunity.

This is not an exhaustive list of things to consider in determining whether a home based business opportunity is legitimate, but it is a critical list. There are many a fantastic legitimate home based business opportunity to be had. Good luck!

In the work from home job, one offers services of some type to an employer but is still an employee. It’s much like working at the office and involves the same types of tasks, only you do it at home. There are lots of advantages to this type of arrangement: You can save time and money without the commute, or having to eat away from home. And sometime even childcare expenses can be eliminated or reduced.

When I think of a work from home job, it could be anything from product assembly to typing and bookwork to legal research. There are lots of different types of work from home jobs, but the one thing they all have in common is that you work for someone else. You may have greater control over your work situation than you would at the employer’s office or work site, but, ultimately, you are not your own boss. And for some people, that is ideal. Being your own boss demands a level of self-initiative and personal responsibility that is not appealing to all people.

If being your own boss and having your own business DOES appeal to you, then the work from home business opportunity may be a great fit for you. Of course, you can still be your own boss and have your own business even if you do not work from home, but working from home often gives advantages for the start-up operation that are invaluable. Typically, overhead costs can be lessened by beginning a new business working from home. And it can afford enhanced flexibility. You may even be able to work in your jammies if you want to!

Of course, your home situation may not be a good physical set-up for whatever business you have in mind. And it can be hard to keep work in its proper perspective when it is so closely tied (logistically and strategically) to your home life. But if you can surmount these challenges, you can enjoy the benefits of a work from home business opportunity.

The best benefits come into play, I think, when the work from home business opportunity is one wherein you are in business for yourself, but not by yourself. The network marketing arena offers a terrific playing field for this type of experience. You can work from home, have your own business, and yet be supported by a corporate backing that (depending upon the quality and strength of the company) alleviates a lot of the fatal problems for new business enterprises. A good network marketing company offers training, support and resources for you to start your own work from home business. And it can offer you the freedom and benefits that come with a work from home business opportunity.

1. A company that markets products made to appeal to Christians (Christian music, books, home décor and the like), and that targets primarily a Christian consumer base – as a home based business, this could mean either you actually produce the products or you are a distributor of them;
2. Association with a home based business opportunity (such as a franchise, or network marketing opportunity) that is offered, supported and/or sponsored by a company that identifies itself in some way as Christian;
3. Engaging in a home based business opportunity that links you with other Christian individuals, either as sponsors, mentors or actual business partners; or
4. A home based business opportunity that is consistent with one’s Christian values, although it may not have the specific qualities listed in the above descriptions.

So, a home based business that doesn’t market products that are specifically Christian, is not affiliated with a company that identifies itself as Christian, and involves individuals of all faiths and even no faith can still be Christian? I think so.

See if you think this description qualifies as a Christian home based business opportunity: a home based business opportunity that has the common good as its end and whose mission (to improve the lives of all it touches) is consistent with Christian values; one that is built around the Golden Rule (do unto others as you would have them do unto you) and is inherently endowed with supportive, helpful business coaches who want you to succeed; an organization that welcomes all who want what it offers and discriminates against none; a business opportunity that is not known for a competitive climate, but a cooperative climate among all associates.

Yes, it’s true that for Christians, the idea of enhancing the lives of other Christians with products designed specifically with them in mind is appealing; and it’s always a pleasure to advance the cause of a worthy overtly Christian enterprise; and working with other Christians can be uplifting and encouraging. But not only are these conditions not always available in a home based business opportunity setting, I truly believe they are not essential. Perhaps they can even contribute to a cocoon mentality, where the challenges of the “world” are avoided to such a degree that a Christian hesitates to step outside the circle of protection afforded by those types of conditions, and thus the business community at large does not even have exposure to the Christian example.

Ensuring that a home based business does not violate any Christian convictions and, better yet, aligning oneself with an opportunity that is consistent with those convictions is a valid, fulfilling way to address this interest in a way that feels right while still advancing the cause behind one’s search for a home based business opportunity in the first place!

Click here to learn more about a home business opportunity I’ve found that I believe fits with this vision.

And the interest in home business opportunities is at an all-time high now. Gone is the era when corporate America could be counted on to take care of you into your retirement years, rewarding you for longevity of service. There are many, many folks looking for a Plan B…and turning to a home business opportunity as that Plan.

It behooves us, then, to consider what factors make a home business opportunity the most viable; what things should we consider when we decide which one to pursue? Not all entrepreneurs throughout history have had this luxury, but surely we can take time to assess the home business opportunity that will work best for us given our individual strengths and weaknesses. Here are some questions to consider:

For those who have a vision to supply a customized product working from home, there are manufacturing and distribution issues. Designing the adorable fuzzy pillows is only one step in the business plan required for success. What do materials cost and can they be economically obtained on the scale needed for your project? How and where will you sell them? Do you have the inclination to take on all of these aspects of your own business?

If you are skilled at a service you wish to provide to others, how will you advertise and market your skills? How much time will that take? Can you do it? Or would it be best to hire out that part of business development?

Do you want to work at home but not be your own boss? Perhaps tele-commuting is your cup of tea. But, of course, you aren’t then really in business for yourself. Are you OK with that?

Perhaps you want to be in business for yourself, but not by yourself. Do you do best when working with a team? Perhaps a business partner would be a good idea. Or joining a network marketing company, where distributors train and work together.

What if your strength is in networking with people? Can you get paid for that? Without having a product or service that you can produce? Actually, you can. And you can be a part of positive people working in home business opportunities who mentor and support one another. The business model is called social marketing. It’s new, and yet, it has been around forever. You’ve always told your friends about the great movie you just saw, right? But did you ever get paid for it? That’s the idea behind social marketing.

I’ve known of people who have been wildly successful with a home business opportunity that answered each of these sets of questions. We each have different strengths, unique qualities and individual talents. Take some time for some sincere thought and reflection as you embark on your home business. Honestly consider the short and long term components and your own situation. You’ll be glad you invested that initial time in finding the right home business match for yourself.