Poverty To Riches

You CAN start with empty pockets & piles of bills & build a steady income, even wealth, by the net. It is a long, hard road though, so it is best to prepare & take along a lovely map.

First, a comparison to building an offline, bricks-and-mortar business, for point of view. If you are young, you might educate yourself in your field, go to work for anyone else, & build your experience, reputation & equity. Then you could take out a business start-up loan, rent a storefront, buy all the necessary equipment, tools, furniture & merchandise, buy promotion -- & wait years to work your way out of debt & make a profit.

If you are not young, have a relatives and all the expenses and debts that go with that,and why not making money working for somebody else to get ahead, you don't have the same options. Night school, years of part-time schooling and training, together with your creditors hounding you every step of the way...sound familiar?

So you turn on your computer and wonder...wish...that of those promises of speedy riches could be true for you. I would not go there if I were you.

Here are some first steps to getting started as an internet entrepreneur:

1. Honest self-assessment: There's definite qualities necessary to being self-employed. In case you can honestly say that you are self-disciplined, self-motivated, determined, self-confident, patient, persevering and perhaps even a bit obstinate, you have what it takes.

2. Research: You need to spend some time researching the company, the products, and the people already working the business. Is the company solid and reliable, are the company executives available and responsive, are the products of high desirability and quality, and possibly most importantly, is there experienced, successful, and friendly team support?

3. Support: Surround yourself with cheerleaders, mentors, knowledge, & inspiration, both on- & offline. Your relatives, the company, & others who have succeeded where you are treading for the first time, ought to all be available to you. You ought to never feel that you are all alone.

4. Infrastructure: Pick what you need: computer,printer, fax, phone; whatever your chosen business requires. Generate an office space that suits your lifestyle and work needs. A corner of the lounge can function well in the event you can work while the children are at school or if their noise doesn't bother you, but evening work may need a separate room. Don't put your office in the bedroom in the event you work evenings and your partner goes to bed early. You need your family's support, not their animosity!

5. Realism: It is tempting to try a business that makes promises it cannot keep. Plenty of tell you that person or a few make thousands of dollars a week and so are you able to. None of them will point out that possibly you will be of thousands who quit before they make a cent. "Put funds in your pocket today!" Yes, but will any go in tomorrow?

Accept the fact that any business worth its salt can take time. Possibly you can start making funds in a couple months, or possibly a year. You need to be able to maintain life as you know it for however long it takes. Understand that it won't be a steady climb to the top from where you are today; the path will go up and down.

6. Selling anyone else's product or your own: Obviously, the sizable funds is in selling your own product. Selling for another company is a great way to get your feet wet in net commerce, however. At first you may feel like you are floundering in an unfathomable sea of information, but at some point will come the knowledge that you are "getting it." Working for a nice company will leave you knowing that you have what it takes to do it by yourself, in the event you select.

7. Business plan: This keeps you focused, helps you create the goals, strategies and work plans; and aids in evaluating your results. It can include contingency designs, and is seldom written in stone. As you learn and your business develops, the plan will evolve .

Let's take the action and the future will come!!!