Setting up shop at home is not as difficult as you may think. 
Here are three are at business start-ups for the new American 
workplace.

When Jeannie Bowers started Atlantic Optical four years ago, 
finding a location was the least of her worries. "I always 
wanted to do something home-based because you have the advantage 
of being able to work any hours that you want and your office is 
always at your disposal." Bowers operates her business out of a 
spare bedroom of her Orlando, Florida, home.  It turns out that 
Bowers is not alone.

When it comes to starting a business, millions of would-be 
entrepreneurs are finding that there's no place like home, and 
are converting dens, bedrooms, basements and attics into 
offices. According to a recent study by Fidelity Investments,
the nation's largest mutual fund company and one of the leading 
providers of financial services, 37% of all home-based 
businesses are operated by women. As for income, in 2002, 
56% of all home-based businesses earned net revenues of less 
than $50,000, 24% earned $50,000-$99,000, and 20% made more 
than $100,000.

There are many reasons for choosing to work at home. A certain 
proportion, particularly men, work at home because there are 
tremendous cost savings. For another large segment, it's the 
idea of having more control over your life and being able to 
spend more time with your family. For the person looking to 
balance career and family, a work-at-home environment can 
create the best of both worlds.

Start-up costs for a home business vary according to the type 
of operation, but some can be launched for as little as $500. 
Bowers started her company with about $3,000, which included 
expenses for office equipment, supplies and 12 weeks of 
training.

The first step to starting a home-based business is deciding 
what type of operation to run. But before you print your 
business cards, check your local zoning laws to see which types 
of businesses are permitted in your neighborhood. Some zoning 
ordinances exclude home businesses entirely. But the majority 
place restrictions on these operations, limiting on-street 
parking, the number of employees, signage and the amount of 
vehicular traffic. Also check homeowner associations, co-op 
boards and condominium complexes, which may enforce their own 
work-at-home restrictions.

Businesses that may be red-flagged include commercial ventures 
or businesses that require outside storage of supplies, create 
extreme noise and produce flagrant odors. Those operating 
without a required license or permit also can be zapped. Many 
home enterprises such as day care and catering services require 
certificates of operation. Check with your municipal, county or 
state office to see if you will need this document. Fees vary 
according to state and type of operation.

While there are many advantages to setting up shop at home, 
there are some drawbacks, particularly if the lines of 
separation between your work environment and home life are not 
clearly drawn. Setting up a completely separate area for your 
home office is important because it will qualify you for a home 
office deduction around tax time.

When selecting an area, consider using a spare bedroom (the 
basement or an enclosed porch or sunroom also is ideal). Forgo 
working from the kitchen table or family room. As your business 
becomes more successful, you may need to add personnel or expand 
your office, so project your space needs for at least five 
years. Also, determine if your business requires you to bring 
clients to your home. If so, plan a distraction-free area in 
your office to meet and talk with customers. You may also want 
to consider renting office space for your meetings.

The home is a relaxed environment, so work-at-home entrepreneurs 
must be very self-disciplined. It can be very easy to get 
distracted by Oprah or Judge Judy, so be sure to exercise your 
"self-management muscle." And if you have children, hire a 
baby-sitter during office hours or schedule outings for the 
kids so they do not interfere with the business.

Featured below are two businesses that industry experts consider 
to be among the top home enterprises for the 21st century.  
Although there are hundreds you can launch from home, these 
have a low start-up cost, long-term profit potential and high 
marketability. They are also expected to experience tremendous 
growth within a few short years.


Event Planning

Event planners work with corporations, organizations and 
nonprofit groups to plan annual conferences, fund-raising 
events, trade shows, shareholder meetings, banquets and other 
special occasions. Starting this type of home business is easier 
if you have a public relations background or prior experience as 
a meeting planner, but it is not a prerequisite. To get started, 
you will need a computer, fax machine, word processing software 
and a two-line telephone system. Depending on the types of 
equipment and resources used, startup cost ranges from 
$2,750-$8,500.

To secure clients, network among caterers and travel agents. 
Visit your city's convention and visitors' bureau for a list of 
upcoming events or volunteer to plan a community event as a way 
to demonstrate your skills and drum up business.

Meeting planning is a high-pressure business. To be successful, 
you must be able to work under tight deadlines. You must also 
be creative, have an eye for detail, have excellent presentation 
and communication skills and be very organized.

For more information about a home-based meeting planning 
business, contact: Meeting Professionals International, 
4455 LBJ Freeway, Suite 1200, Dallas, TX 75244.


Home Cleaning Service 

Who has time to clean? Between work, the gym, dinner with 
friends and your usual five hours of sleep, there seems to be 
little time to wash windows and vacuum the carpet. But this 
lifestyle is making cleaning services very profitable ventures. 
In fact, home cleaning alone is a $92-million-a-year business. 
There are also many commercial cleaning franchises that can be 
purchased for as little as $5,000 and operated from the home.

Cleaning services are perhaps the easiest and cheapest 
businesses to start in the home. With less than $1,000, a few 
cleaning supplies (many of which you can get from your own 
cabinet) and just the knowledge of how to use a mop, some Mr. 
Clean and a bucket, you can open for business.

To drum up business for your home cleaning service, list your 
company name in the Yellow Pages or distribute flyers in your 
neighborhood or business district. Fees for house cleaning 
range from $10-$20 per hour and $50-$75 per day.

Most cleaning businesses are perceived as low-status operations, 
so image and professionalism are everything. You must be willing 
to roll up your sleeves and work hard.

For additional information about cleaning services, contact: 
Cleaning Consultants, Inc., P.O. Box 1273, Seattle, WA 98111.


Don't Forget to Protect Your Investment

While operating a home-based business is low-risk, it is still 
a valuable investment that should be protected through business 
insurance. Although your residence may already be insured for 
fire and other damage, never rely totally on your homeowner's 
policy to cover your home business. Most homeowner's and rental 
policies will exclude business activity, so you would have to 
look for what is called an "in-home business policy." Most 
companies writing this type of policy will include personal 
business property, general liability and loss of income. 
However, some home-based businesses need special coverage. 
For example, a food manufacturer should have product liability 
insurance to cover if someone gets hurt using a product. 

For more information on how to insure your home-based business, 
contact: The Insurance Information Institute, 110 Williams St., 
24th Floor, New York, NY 10038.  


Don't Forget to Keep Accurate Financial Records

When Uncle Sam comes calling for his piece of your home 
business, you want to be ready. Set up a detailed record-keeping 
system and keep track of all business-related expenses. Such 
computer software programs as Quicken offer easy-to-follow 
formats for separating business and personal expenses. Never 
mix the two. Also set up a separate business bank account. 

When filing your tax return, keep in mind there are several 
home expenses that are tax deductible: office supplies, 
professional and trade memberships/dues, travel, insurance 
premiums, local and long-distance telephone calls, maintenance 
and repair of office computers, and employee wages and benefits.

Home-based business owners can also claim a "home office" 
deduction in which they deduct part of their rent or take a 
depreciation deduction based on how the business is used in 
the home. About 1.6 million home-based business owners claim 
a home office deduction each year. According to the IRS, a 
house, apartment, mobile home, boat or condominium can qualify. 
However, to claim this deduction, your home office must be: 
(1) your principal place of business; (2) a separate and 
distinguishable space in your home; and (3) regularly and 
exclusively used for business. The language regarding this 
deduction is not simple, so contact your local IRS office 
or your accountant for complete definitions.