Do you have what it takes to be an entrepreneur? This article could help you decide if you're ready to take the leap into the world of business ownership.

Being an entrepreneur is more than just having a lot of ideas or a keen business sense. It is also about drive, determination, ambition and guts. You must have self confidence and an all consuming desire to succeed against all odds. You MUST want to work hard to develop a business and have the drive to work it until it begins to take off. Then, you must constantly nurture and promote it.

If you do not enjoy your business and the product you will offer, I mean absolutely LOVE it, you are probably going to fail. I say this because starting a business takes determination. More determination than anything else. You must have a burning desire to succeed and make the business work no matter what might come along. You will face stumbling blocks, family and friends will tell you it won't work and that you are doomed to failure, but don't let someone else's negativity get in your way. Surround yourself with positive people who will support you in your efforts.

Some questions to ask yourself before you start a business are:

1. Do I have a strong desire to be my own boss?
2. Am I able to be the master of my own financial destiny?
3. Do I have significant specialized business ability based on education and experience?
4. Do I have an ability to conceptualize the whole of a business; not just the individual parts, but how they relate to each other?
5. Do I have a sense of what is "right" for a business and have the courage to pursue it?
6. Am I able to take calculated risks?
7. Am I able and willing to work long hours to make a business succeed?

While not every entrepreneur can answer Yes to all these questions, answering no to three or four of the questions should be sufficient reason to reconsider starting a business on your own.

If you scored well on the questions above, don't go out and quit your job just yet. You still need to make sure your family is fed and your financial obligations are met. It's great if you look forward to the day you will succeed in your own business venture, but to begin, just take tiny baby steps. Once your business has a strong foothold and begins to show an income, that is when you can reduce your hours and work part time. Once your business starts generating an income substantial enough to support you and your family, you will be on your way to financial freedom.

Building a business is not an easy task and it doesn't just happen because you slap together a web page with a few products or affiliate links on it. If you have the right mindset, you will find it a most enjoyable and rewarding experience.

Kim Haas

You may already know me from my biggest online venture, Womans-Net.com. I started Womans-Net in June of 2000. The site quickly blossomed into a leading resource for women in business and work at home moms.

My latest and fastest growing venture is Article-Host.com, where I have continued my work as an online publisher and writer. Article-Host allows me the opportunity to offer syndicated article services worldwide.

I earned an Associates Degree in Word Processing while raising a family. I am a self-taught webmaster. I began my online experience when the Internet was still a series of BBS's (Bulletin Board Systems) where users logged into each other's desktop computers - and monitors were still green letters on a black screen.

Although I had only limited formal education in business management and computer skills, I obtained my business education from the 'real-world school' where lessons weren't graded with A's and B's, but rather with success or failure. After failing at several MLM and 'work at home opportunities', I began seeing a pattern to the failures. Those failures were a direct result of not putting God first in my life and not having confidence in myself.

I currently live in south-central Illinois with my soulmate and our two children. We also share 4 adult children and 5 wonderful grandchildren.

Over the past ten years I've learned a lot about building businesses from the ground up, both online and offline, and I've learned how to deal with different types of customers. I have discovered that a little self-confidence can go a long way and I've found the mysterious "secrets to success".