I talk to a lot of folks, mostly via email of course, about starting a home business. Because of my experience in the jewelry making business, this tends to come from people who want to chuck their careers and stay home and make and sell their hand-crafted jewelry. The jewelry business is not easy, and actually, any new business start up can be very challenging. There so much to consider, so much to gain, but also so much to lose.

I’m not the only writer to field questions about starting a home-based business. Here’s some advice from Deb Koen to a reader of The Democrat and Chronical:

“Assess your own style and the various roles that will be required to make your business a success. An individual rarely possesses all of the skills needed to launch and maintain a business. Capitalize on your strengths, then develop the skills or hire to supplement your gaps. If, for example, you’re analytical, you may decide to partner with someone who is action-oriented and strong at implementation.

If you’re intending to use the skills that have made you successful in your career to this point, you’ll have a head start: a proven track record and an established network. You can build on your successes, moving into a consultant or a telecommuter role. You might even ask your current employer about becoming your first customer.

If you’re taking an alternative route and interested in trying something totally different, scan through the multitude of books available on home-based businesses. Use The Work at Home Sourcebook by Lynie Alden as a starting point for ideas.”

Read more: You have a lot to think about before launching a business

According to an article on CNN’s Money website, there will be more perks for working in general in 2006:

“Employers intent on keeping their best people from leaving may loosen the purse strings a bit this year, most experts say, but it seems that many will offer something their top employees value even more than money: Time. According to Salary.com, the single hottest compensation trend for 2006 will be “a commitment by employers to expand their use of work-at-home programs.” The Salary.com report says the reasons range from high gas prices, to concerns about balancing work and family, to the ready availability of technology that makes telecommuting practical.”