I'd always considered myself an entrepreneur since I left school, way back in 1984. I knew that I wanted to get as high as I could in the best job that I could find, but that one day in the not too distant future, I wanted my own business, though in what industry I develop this dream, I had no idea...

Mind you, that was back in the day when computers had 4mb of RAM and the Internet was still a military secret. It was a lot harder to get information on industries that you were interested in and trade was a lot more restrictive as companies depended on dealers to showcase and promote their products and services.

Back then, the idea was that you needed to get a good job, progress as far as you could and then go and start your own business, taking as much as possible from the company that you had just left.

These days, there are so many opportunities that you can spend months researching each one and still not be sure where to start.

So you may believe that all the marketing you see on the Internet is new, never been done and cutting edge - take the latest raft of programs all offering an automated, fully duplicable business in a box which is a totally new concept isn't it?

Uh... no!

When you look at it, McDonalds is a ready made, business-in-box (OK, so it's a big box!) and franchises like McDonalds have been around for over half a century.

Franchising works best for the same reason that the new online businesses in a box work, and that reason is...

They fill a need that no-one else has already claimed!

In other words, identify an area that is crying out for help, whether that be information or the actual provision of a product or a service, and then make it yours. This is your niche - your specialist subject if you will.

This is important because if you don't find a niche on the Internet, you're potentially wasting $thousands on marketing to people who may not want your product or service and believe me, on the Internet, every marketing dollar counts!

For example, you could sell information on the Internet, or even produce a product, sell it online and use the money you would have spent on warehousing and retail to promote your goods via the Internet.

If you want to shout at your computer that you have no chance of succeeding because too many people are doing the same thing before you, then...Yes I know, but have you seen their websites and their marketing. If you've identified a true niche, then competition will be small and you only need to make your marketing a little better than their's and the competition will be irrelevant. That might just be a simple and neat Contact Form that you actually reply to!

Now, it's all-well-and-good filling a need, but what if you don't like the niche you've found? Find another - pure and simple. It's absolutely pointless grinding away, day-in, day-out simply on the basis that you think you might make a good income. You've just gotten away from that by leaving your job - don't go get yourself another.

Having said that, the flip side is trying to build a business around a hobby or subject that you really enjoy and then finding that you can't involve yourself in that hobby anymore as you do it all day now - try to strike a balance.

Here's a summary of how to define your niche and try to build a successful Internet business...

1 - Identify your likes and dislikes

2 - Is there a need for anything that you enjoy (e.g. pet grooming, cosmetics, fitness etc...)

3 - Can you make money by exploiting this need?

4 - Go for it!

Good luck in all your decisions and have fun with your home business, which ever one you choose, and don`t forget to enjoy your new found freedom!