Running a home-based business that fuels your passion is one way to increase your chances of success. Given the high failure rate of home-based businesses, doing what you love and doing it well will set you on the right path to success including profitability, self-satisfaction and the sense of doing good in your community.One great home-business idea is party catering for kids. If you love dealing with kids, making them happy and also have a great knack for organizing then this could be one area to look into.Of course you will have to do your own investigations regarding zoning laws as they affect home-based businesses, licenses and that type of statutory requirement. With that out of the way, your next step is to decide how best to organize this type of business.Key questions to consider would be:* What level of catering would you be doing – are you going to limit yourself to meals, entertainment and other party goodies? Or are you going to go the whole way with venue, food, accessories, party favors, et cetera?* Do you have proper contacts with suppliers and if not how are you going to go about making these contacts and what arrangements would be best for your business?* What age group would you be catering to, and given certain age groups what special arrangements will be needed. For example, would you be prepared to cater to a party for a bunch of 3-year olds that may not all be potty trained? And if yes, what would you need to have in place to ensure that the situation does not become chaotic?* How would you market your services? Would it be possible to link up with one of the big box children stores and offer them exclusive discount coupons to give to their customers? Taking this approach could significantly reduce your marketing costs but you would have to really convince each of the stores willing to listen to you that you are serious about this business and show how it is also a plus for them, especially if you are into particular party themes.Catering to parties for kids is certainly a great home-based business idea worth looking into given the seemingly attractiveness of the market. Of course a market research would be in order before making any final decisions. But this idea for a home business of itself seems very attractive and suited for one who loves interacting with small children and providing an abundance of fun for them.

Many people wonder how they can have a successful home based business. Success is based on a number of things. Leads, commitment, time and motivation are just a few factors. I’m going to focus on a few things you should look at to begin.Leads are crucial to any successful home based business. You need people looking at your business, no matter what you are selling. You need foot traffic, you need readership, you need customers eating your product, etc. Lead generation can be hard, but with the right marketing system, and work on your part, can be highly rewarding and make you successful. Find the right lead generation system, the right marketing techniques and skills and you will be set.You need to be committed to what you are doing. You need to be able to wake up on a Thursday, with a cloudy sky, and resist the urge to go back to sleep. You need to be able to do the work involved with what you are doing. There will always be work that needs to be done, things you need to learn. You need to be able to stand in times of tribulation and discouragement (they happen, believe me!). It all comes down to you, but don’t let that stop you from starting your own business. The fact things come down to you also means you reap all the rewards and gains from a successful home based business. You don’t have to share with others, unless you outsource or contract things in your business. Unlike a traditional job where you get paid a set amount, you can increase your paycheck tremendously! The sky is truly the limit!There was once an ad that I heard where this guy told me I could work half days. I called him up and he said “Yes, pick which of the 12 hours you want to work.” You need time to create a successful home based business. You can’t work in the traditional 9-5 routine. You need to work from 9am-11pm if that’s what it takes. You build systems to help you get things done faster, but you are done when the work is done. Now, once the work is done, you are free to clock out. So it also encourages you to work harder so you can relax more. Just this Summer I went to Branson, Florida, South Dakota, and then back to Florida again. All because I spent the time to create my business in the beginning.Lastly, a successful home based business needs motivation. Think of how good it will feel to relax on the beach while your ex-coworkers are stuck under a fluorescent lightbulb working a dead end job. Think about how freeing it will be to pay off all of your debts. Think about how enjoyable it will be to give your family what they need. Think about the fact you have created your own job security. Think of what motivates you and that will help tremendously with the time and commitment above.Don’t let the fact that it takes work to create a successful home based business scare you off. It is highly rewarding, sets you up financially, and creates a sense of self-achievement that is unparalleled.

While some businesses are folding down because of the economic crisis, it is good to note that there are also numerous home-based businesses just starting up despite the crisis. Unlike traditional businesses, a home-based venture is easier to set up because you do not need much capital to start one. And since it is operated right in your home, then you do not need to pay for the overhead cost of an office or even a fulltime staff.But are home-based businesses feasible? A lot of people who have been employees for years are starting to shift to home-based businesses primarily because they have seen many successful ventures and they want to follow suit. Here are some of the possible home-based business opportunities you can start with on a part time or full time basis.BloggingMost people consider blogging as a hobby but if you are serious enough about blogging then it can be a good way to start a home-based business even without retiring from your regular job. Don’t worry about paying for a domain name or a host because it is possible to start blogging for free. There are many sites that will allow you to start blogging even if you do not know HTML. Blogger for one, provides bloggers a very convenient way of starting their own blogs with ready-made themes and easy set of Google AdSense. Don’t expect to earn huge money immediately because you need to build your blog rank and get in as many traffic as possible to get the clicks you need to earn from AdSense. Start by blogging about a niche that interests you most.Wedding ConsultancyIf you love people and parties then why not go into a wedding consultancy home-based business? Wedding planners are highly in demand today considering that up to 20 percent of the more than two million couples tying the knot every year are getting their services. This business requires professionalism and organization especially if you are planning to work from home. Just pull off one wedding successfully and you can expect many customers in the future. You will be surprised how many of the couple’s family and friends are also planning to get married soon and you might just get many clients in the future if you play your cards right. Start by joining bridal shows where you can establish contact with florists, photographers and other people who can help you start your home-based business at the right foot.While you do not need money to start blogging for as long as you already have a computer and an internet connection, you do need to register your wedding consultancy business to make it legal. But while any of the two are home-based business opportunities, it should not stop you from setting up a small corner in your home to serve as your office or work space.There are many home-based business opportunities you can start with small capital. Be prepared to lose the monthly income you have become accustomed with for years in exchange for a more flexible schedule and more income opportunities in the future.

Starting a new home based business can be exciting and scary. Deciding on the right business and learning how to run it profitably are just a couple of the tasks new home based business owners must tackle. Most of the people starting a new business from home have never run a successful business before and it’s not as easy as most people think.

The first question most grapple with is, “What is the best business?” Most try to decide based upon what they feel they can earn the most money with. Others start by looking at the funds they have to invest and then look to find a business that fits their budget. Making a decision based on either of these factors will almost always lead to business failure.

Most people never make a profit with a new home based business. The three main reasons for all these failed businesses are as follows.

(1) Most people choose a business that is a poor match for them.
(2) Most people are marginally committed to their business success and fail to perform the tasks they are required to do.
(3) Most people who try to stick with their new business complain that they did not get the support they needed to be successful.

Choosing a business is a bit like choosing a mate. A successful relationship is not based on choosing the potential partner who makes the most money or who can be bought cheaply. There has to be a match there and it is the same with choosing a home based business. Novice business owners should choose a business they have a passion for.

The right business will match up with the owner based on his or her interests. The successful business owner will also choose a business based on the available business models available. For example, someone who does not like the idea of calling strangers on the phone should not choose a business where those activities are required. If the business owner does not like performing the basic tasks required, they will soon fade away from performing them and hence, will kill their business.

Novice home based business owners need to tap into an extensive support system. They need to learn what to do, how to do it and they also need to learn the pitfalls so they can avoid them.

Written manuals are a good start. Live group training over the phone is also good. Group training lets you feel that you are part of a community with others who are starting new businesses.

More and more models are offering live web-based video training. This is more effective than audio only phone calls. It’s almost like being in the classroom with the fellow students. Those attending can see exactly what the instructors are doing and they can ask questions if something is not crystal clear.

Some models record training so novice business owners can watch segments over and over again. Video-on-demand training is also a great backup if the new home based business owner is unable to attend training live. The training may originate from a different time zone that is not convenient for some students to attend live.

All of the support described here is more than most novice home based business owners have available to them. Group training is great, but for those who can’t afford to be without the best support available there is one more thing they should have—a mentor.

People need group training and documents, but there is nothing like having direct access to an experienced mentor who is already doing what the novice hopes to do. Being able to get quick answers to questions that come up in the day to day operation of a business is priceless.

Business failure statistics are staggering. However, with the right one dedication and support system novice home based business owners can persevere and rise to the top.

Dean Marino has gained a reputation over the years as the home based travel business expert for good reason. He is a respected trainer and mentor to successful home based business owners throughout the industry and widely regarded as an expert on the subject of travel.

As an avid traveler, Marino has flown over one million miles just with U S Airways and several hundred thousand miles with other airlines. He is a Hilton Diamond VIP member (over 27 stays per year), an Avis First member (the rental car company’s highest elite level status) and a travel agent.

Many Websites, offering advertising solutions, will promise the world, wittingly hiding their true agenda. Internet advertising veterans are familiar with which methods work and which are offered for ulterior motives. However, this comes from experience and, in many cases, moderate expense. Advertising on the internet is still evolving. New ideas are born, and old ones die, almost daily. Because of this, novel advertisers should familiarize themselves with forms of advertising offered before pursuing the solution.

Pixel Advertising

This is a new craze, often referred to as, “Million Dollar Page Advertising”. To summarize, this is a Web-page displaying a large grid. Businesses can purchase pixels, or squares, of the grid. Generally, each pixel cost one dollar. Within the pixels purchased, the business can feature an image that is linked to their Website.

The pixel advertising concept was conceived by 22-year-old, Alex Tew. He developed the original, “Million Dollar Homepage”. Alex’s creation generated Media frenzy, because the idea was simple and original. This frenzy gave lots of weight to his pixel ad solution, so much weight that Alex’s page actually did generate one million dollars. This was achieved by selling a million, one dollar pixels. The mind set for advertisers’ was, buy a lot of pixels and your ad would standout from others.

Attempting to Mirror his success, many developers have created their own, “Million Dollar Homepage”. The problem is the frenzy is not coming. These mirrors are not original with, “Slap you in the face,” simplicity. People are not visiting the vast number of, “Million Dollar Homepages,” to see this new insane concept. Therefore, people are not seeing the ads.

For the most part, pixel advertising will not generate sales. The primary motive, behind advertising on such a venue has evolved to increasing Search Engine recognition for a Website. Once again, this may be from the excellent recognition Alex’s page received. The motive of the business offering the solution is to get rich, period. The vast array of pages offering such a solution will not help search engines understand the premise of a Website. They lack organization and focus.

Viral Advertising

Often considered the most powerful form of advertising and often misunderstood. Some business professionals shy away from Viral Advertising ideas, simply because the term, “Viral”. Despite the common fear of the word, there is nothing wrong with Viral Advertising. To summarize, it simply means Advertising that will continue to spread through the Internet on its own or with little interaction.

Viral Advertising starts with a simple product, feature, service, or idea. It is then offered to the internet community for free. Typically, the advertisement offers something to those who display it. A common example would be Googles’ Site Search. They are offering a powerful utility, to Website Developers, which allows visitors to search the displaying Website. In addition, the visitors can also search the Internet, from the Publishing Website. This could easily introduce or familiarize new users with Google. That is a very powerful Viral Advertising Campaign.

It should be understood, there is no pure format to Viral Advertising. It’s a very broad spectrum that comes in many forms. It requires imagination and vision from the business launching the campaign. It’s simply releasing something that is desired by many and watching it spread. It can be a free program, Website Content, or a utility which improves upon a Website. Moreover, it could be something you, the reader, believes many people would want. If one should find themselves wondering, why something is being given away for free, they are probably witnessing a Viral Advertising Campaign.

A commonly scrupulous Viral Advertising campaign is a modification to Pyramid Sales Schemes. Many developers have probably stumbled upon Internet Sites promising exponential display of any advertisement. The craze has died out a bit, but it still lurks.

What’s really cooking here? We start with the Website offering exponential display of any Internet Sites Advertisement. Let’s call it the Mother Site. In the beginning, Mother is seeking two Websites, to display her advertisement (Typically to the effect of, “Generate 5,000 Visitors in 90 days Guaranteed). After Mother finds two Children, she starts seeking four Grand Children, to display two ads. On all four of the next Internet sites will be Mothers’ ad. The two children will be divided. Basically, Mother now has six ads and her children have two. Mother is advertising nobody. Once mother has four Grandchildren, see seeks eight great children to display three ads. On all eight, they advertise Great Grandmother. Then the tree gets divided again. The Grandparents get their ad displayed on four of the sites. The parents have their ads shown on two of the sites. This ad campaign continues to grow, as the original site finds more off-spring.