Home Business Startup Guide

What You Need - And Where To Find It:

Creating "The Plans"

Your business plan
Your marketing plan
Your disaster plan

Finding the money you need
Borrowing
Venture capitalists
Financial "angels"
Government and private grants

Creating your company

Choosing a name
Choosing a legal form - Sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation
Know the law

Work where you live - but don't live where you work

Creating a work area
Furniture, hardware, software
Keeping personal and business lives separate
Dealing with family, friends and neighbors
Workplace safety is still important
No more water cooler chats or "let's grab lunch" socializing

Surviving the financial strain - and knowing the costs

Paying yourself
Setting reasonable prices

Advertising and marketing


Trademarks, copyrights and contracts


Accountants, programmers, website designers and more


The art of e-commerce


Privacy policies, terms of service, customer rights and other legal stuff