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Welcome to Our Business Ownership / Self-Employment Page

Self-Assessments
In the "Reality Checks and Self-Assessments" chapter of our book, The 2-Second Commute, we take readers through a series of exercises we designed to help them determine whether a home-based business is right for them. One of those self-assessments is listed in the top spot on the list below.

While we hope you purchase and read our book, we've also included links to other online self-assessments to help kick things off.

• Entrepreneurial Self-Assessment: 15 Questions Every Would-Be Entrepreneur Should Ask
  
• Entrepreneurial Self-Assessment (Western Economic Diversification Canada)
• Assess Your Entrepreneurial Characteristics (Mentors, Ventures & Plans)
• Starting a Business Questionnaire (MetLife)
  
• The Entrepreneur Test (Liraz Publishing)
• Do you have what it takes to be an entrepreneur? (Monster.com)
• Entrepreneurship Self-Assessment (University of Warwick - UK)
• Could you be your own boss? (Mazemaster - Canada)
• Entrepreneur Quiz (AYN Employment Centre - Canada)
• "The Quiz" (Center for Entrepreneurship Education and Development)
• Entrepreneurial Assessment (WorkInk.com)
• Are you cut out to be an entrepreneur? (Let's Talk Business - Prairie Public Television)
• What's your entrepreneurial personality type? (Entrepreneur.com)

Setting Up Your Business

• Manage your business from start to finish (US Small Business Administration)
• Establishing a home office (AllBusiness.com)
• Starting a small business in the US (Internal Revenue Service)
  
• Starting a small business in Canada (Canada One)
• Starting a small business in Canada (About.com)
• Startup Essentials (PowerHomeBiz.com)
• FindLaw for small business (FindLaw.com)
• Starting a small business 101 (About.com)
• Small business guide (CCH, Inc.)
• Starting a business (Nolo)
• Business Licenses and Permits (Entrepreneur.com)
• Business Structure Basics  (Entrepreneur.com)
• Buy an Existing Business (Entrepreneur.com)
• Create a Great Business Card  (Entrepreneur.com)
• Create a Logo  (Entrepreneur.com)
• Hire an Attorney   (Entrepreneur.com)
• Name Your Business (Entrepreneur.com)
• Paying Yourself: From Startup and Beyond (Entrepreneur.com)
• Research Your Business Idea (Entrepreneur.com)
• Start a Kiosk Business (Entrepreneur.com)
• Start a Service Business (Entrepreneur.com)
• Start an E-Commerce Business (Entrepreneur.com)
• The Basics of Money Management (Entrepreneur.com)
• Service Corps of Retired Executives  (good place to find a mentor)
• My Own Business (free online course)
  

Setting up your home office

• Seven Rules in Setting Up Your Home Office (PowerHomeBiz.com)
• How To Set Up a Workable Home Office (About.com)
• How to Set Up a Home Office (eHow.com)
• Setting Up Your Home Office (iVillage)
• Setting Up Your Home Office (Lowe's)
• Organizing Your Home Office: Setting Up Your Personal Space (The Sideroad)
• Creating Your Home Office (Garden and Hearth)
• Setting Up Your Home Office (CCH Business Owner's Toolkit)
• DIY: Setting Up Your Home Office (c/net)
• Organizing Strategies for the Self-Employed - Setting Up Your Home Office (Life Organizers)
• Going Freelance - Setting Up a Home Office (British Assoc. of Communicators in Business)
• Create the Ideal Space for Business at Home (StartUp Journal)
• Home Office Ergonomics (HGTV)
• Practical Ergonomics (Hewlett-Packard)
• Home Office: Work in Comfort, and Treat Your Body Right (PC World)
• Ergonomics and the Telecommuter (ErgoWeb)

Setting your fees

• Running the Numbers - A Helpful Formula for Fees (The 2-Second Commute)
  
• Setting Your Fees as a Freelance Writer (The Dabbling Mum)
• Setting Your Fees Straight (Australian Competition and Consumer Commission)
• Setting Your Freelance Fees (About.com)
• How Much Should a Freelancer Charge? (Writing-World.com)
• How to Set Your Prices (BizTrek)
• Putting a Price on Your Capabilities (Write Direction)
• How to Set Your Consulting Fees (Forbes.com)
• Computer Repair: How to Set Fees (Buzzle.com)
• How to Realistically Set Your Fees (OnlineOrganizing.com)
• What Should You Charge? (Entrepreneur.com)

Marketing your products and services

• Marketing Your Products and Services in the New Economy (World Intellectual Property Org.)
• Marketing Your Business on Craigslist (Entrepreneur)
• Branding Your Business (The Write Market)
• Marketing Your Services (Microsoft)
• 7 Crucial Steps Independent Professionals Need to Take before Marketing (Business Know How)
  
• Marketing A Service Business (PowerHomeBiz.com)
• Marketing Smarter to Earn More (PowerHomeBiz.com)
• How to Market and Sell Your Consulting Services (About.com)
• Marketing: Where Do I Start? (City of Mesa, AZ LIbrary)
• Generating Marketing Ideas (Canada Business Centre for Alberta)
• Target Your Marketing to the Needs of Your Prospective Customers (National Federation of Independent Business)
• Marketing Your Small Business - 10 Brilliant Ideas (MoreBusiness.com)
• Marketing Your Small Business: Beyond the Referral (AllBusiness.com)
• What Frodo Can Teach You About Marketing Your Small Business (PowerHomeBiz.com)
• How to Create a Marketing Plan (Entrepreneur.com)
  

Freebies & Cheapies for business

• Register now for a FREE online Brainbench Skills Test.
  
• Stop Missing Important Calls While Online! Only $3.95 Per Month After 30 Day Trial!
• FREE Notecards from VistaPrint.com! - Free Business Cards too!
  
• Access Your PC from Anywhere - Free Trial plus $10 Off!
  
• eHealthInsurance offers the largest selection of health plans. Compare & Apply Online, Free instant quotes, Best prices, and Live help!
  
• GoDaddy.com Hosting Plans - (We highly recommend this service.)
• GoToMeeting: Free Trial + $10 Off!
  

Helpful links and articles from other sources:

• The Wall Street Journal Center for Entrepreneurs
• Small Business Information Center (Business Week)
• Entrepreneur Magazine (Entrepreneur.com)
• Power Home Biz
• Write Your Marketing Plan (Entrepreneur.com)

Recommended Reading

• The 2-Second Commute: Join the Exploding Ranks of Freelance Virtual Assistants - Durst & Haaren
• Making Money with Your Computer at Home - Paul & Sarah Edwards
• Best Home Businesses for People 50+ - Paul & Sarah Edwards
• The Best Home Businesses for the 21st Century - Paul & Sarah Edwards
• Getting Started in Entrepreneurship - by Jack Kaplan
• Mompreneurs: A Mother's Practical Step by Step Guide to Work at Home Success - by Ellen H. Parlapiano & Patricia Cobe
  
• Will it fly?: How to Know If Your New Business Idea Has Wings - Thomas McKnight
• 201 Great Ideas for Your Small Business - Jane Applegate
• Steps to Small Business Start-Up: Everything You Need to Know to Turn Your Idea Into a Successful Business - Linda Pinson
  
• Big Vision, Small Business: The Four Keys to Finding Success and Satisfaction as a Lifestyle Entrepreneur - Jamie S. Walters
• The 30 Second Commute : The Ultimate Guide to Starting and Operating a Home-Based Business - Beverley Williams, Don Cooper
• Careerpreneurs : Lessons from Leading Women Entrepreneurs on Building a Career Without Boundaries - Dorothy Moore