Ask the Business Coach Joyce K. Reynolds is an expert Business Coach who works with CEOs, Sr. Execs, entrepreneurs and countless others providing knowledge, solutions, motivation and support that assist her clientele in successfully meeting workplace challenges. Find out more about Joyce's coaching practice. Starting Home-Based Business Question: My husband and I are trying to set up a home-based business for pastries. We read the book the Women's Home-Based Business Book of Answers and we have been following their advice. We are now doing research on how to get started but any feedback will be greatly welcome. I would like some Web site that I can chat with other women who have started the same way. We are now setting up our home and research on which way to go. I have mixed feelings as if will this take off or will it be at a stand still. I am afraid of disappoint but my husband assures me not to worry. Lilianett Answer: Starting your own business is a very exciting event and having mixed feelings about such a venture is not only natural but can be quite beneficial. All the good, positive and optimistic thoughts and plans will give you direction and energy. Any negative or worrisome aspects that occur will give you the opportunity to begin creating solutions to problems that come up in your deliberations. In fact, keeping score of the ratio of optimistic-to-pessimistic thoughts will show you on which side you most often fall. If it’s the ‘positive’ – you can feel good about proceeding. If, on the other hand, your feelings of being ‘afraid of disappointment’ recur often and you have to rely on your husband’s assurances to get you past those concerns, you might want to reconsider. You need to know just how afraid you are and whether or not your fear is so great that it could cause you to stop midstream or, ultimately, even fail. If that’s the case, it would be beyond the normal challenge for you to chance a business startup. It’s vital for you to understand that starting a company is a constant work in progress. You will always be learning through your errors. If you can’t take a steep learning curve or if your fear is too great to overcome on your own, I’d recommend you try something a little less risky. If, however, you honestly find that you are simply expressing a preference for not having to face disappointments rather than a debilitating fear, that’s understandable. Determine whether or not you can – on you own – say and feel, convincingly, that this is something YOU really want to do. If you find that you are, indeed, relying on your husband to keep talking you back into it – you could be headed for trouble both professionally and personally. Neither of you can afford to be set up to take the blame if the business does not work out. The way to avoid this is to be sure you both want it with equal interest and determination. If you both can say with certainty that you have great desire and stamina for this business then you can proceed towards success with a clear and strong foundation. While I am also including some information regarding your interest in on-line support , I strongly encourage you to get involved locally with support groups for small business owners, networking groups, your Chamber of Commerce, perhaps, a business leads groups or the local chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners. Consistent marketing and networking will really keep your business success chances high. Communicating regularly with these groups and forming contacts with as many people as possible will help you to find creative ways to give your company and its products continuous exposure and, thus, a better chance for success. Relative to your interest in supportive Web sites, here are a few for you to visit: This is a Web site that will allow you to interact with other business owners: Clearly Business Fast Company is a terrific business magazine that will supply information to you on all kinds of business ownership topics. They also have an interactive area for business owners: Fast Company The American Home Business Association offers benefits and support along with information on how to get started and organized: HomeBusiness.com Also see: • Ask Joyce your workplace questions • More questions • One-on-one business coaching Disclaimer: The information in this column is intended to provide the reader with general ideas or concepts to be used as part of a broader base of knowledge they collect to determine their own best course of action and solutions most suitable for solving their workplace challenges. The information in this column is not guaranteed to be the appropriate solution for each individual.