Contents -- Introduction -- The world of the self-employed -- Starting from home -- 01 Finding the right business opportunity -- Product or service -- Classic ways into business -- Employing other people's ideas -- Buying a business -- 02 Picking the right business for you -- Do you have what it takes? -- Is the business right for you? -- 03 Researching the market -- Understanding customers -- Segmenting markets -- Analysing competitors -- Carrying out DIY research -- 04 Business ownership and title issues -- Deciding on ownership -- Naming your venture -- Intellectual property matters -- 05 Operating from home -- Sizing up your space needs -- Checking out the rules -- Equipping for work -- Finding suppliers -- Insuring essentials -- Planning your daily life -- 06 Keeping the communication lines open -- Telephone systems -- Mailroom matters -- Computers: the vital tool -- Security and back-up systems -- 07 Bringing your product and service to market -- Deciding on your product or service range -- Promotion and advertising -- Pricing -- Distribution and selling -- Marketing legals -- 08 Building and using your website -- Website basics -- Getting seen -- Designing your website -- 09 Doing the numbers -- Keeping the books -- The business accounting reports -- Understanding the numbers -- Computing taxes -- 10 Raising the money -- Estimating financing needs -- Using your own resources -- Borrowing money -- Getting an investor -- Free money -- 11 Preparing a business plan -- Why you need a business plan -- Contents of the plan -- Tips on communicating the plan -- 12 Taking on employees -- Recruitment and selection -- Managing employees -- Legal issues in employing people -- Employment law in other jurisdictions -- 13 Growing profitably -- Optimizing resources -- Improving profit margins -- Bumping up sales -- 14 Starting up overseas.

Choosing a business-friendly country -- Researching international markets -- Money matters -- Appendix one Home business help and advice -- United Kingdom -- Overseas agencies -- Appendix two Directory of proven home businesses -- Customers come to your home - all the time -- Customers come to your home - some of the time -- Meet customers online -- Go out to sell - stay home to service -- Appendix three Home business information resource centre -- Index.