That’s a question lots of people have, especially now, when so many folks are looking for a way to supplement their income, fight the rising costs of day care by staying home with their children, or have found themselves unemployed.

Unfortunately, when the average person begins searching Google, article sites or forums for answers, what most often happens is they are either inundated with links and pitches to join “the most profitable home business in the industry” (that’s poised to be “the next industry giant”), or told that they “must have” a particular tool or system in order to be successful. For those just venturing into the home based business industry for the first time, trying to find the opportunity or business that’s right for them can be a daunting task.

There are many solid companies with great products and commissions, but not every company is right for every person. If they’re not careful, they could easily respond to the emotional message of a skilled presenter, spend all their money and yet find themselves no further ahead than when they started. But you want to have a profitable home based business and you want some answers. Honest answers to your questions; Where do I begin? What should I look for? Is one company better than another? Should I pursue affiliate marketing? What kinds of products are the “best ones” to sell? Etc… My answer…Your home based business doesn’t begin with a product or a company. It begins with YOU!

The most profitable home based business will likely be one based on something that you love doing…something YOU’RE passionate about. And given some thought, you’ll probably notice there’s more than one income stream attached to it. Create multiple “cash registers” all around you… that way, when one isn’t doing so hot, you’ll have the others to keep you going. For instance, if you are passionate about a healthy life style, you could blog about it and become the “go-to” person for information on the topic. Then you could sell vitamins and weight loss products, sell exercise programs, become an affiliate for tennis shoes, exercise clothing, pedometers, etc. A real business (think of a store in your town) has more than one item on the shelf to insure as many income streams as possible.

So start by asking yourself, “What do I really like to do?” Think, “What do I (or would I) spend money on to do it?” and you’ll find income streams. Take the time to brainstorm, and you’ll no doubt find many ways to turn what you love into a profitable business. Then do a Google search to find resources and training on that topic. There’s also lots of free training on sites like YouTube and many industry blogs and websites.

It bears mentioning again…you must be REALLY careful out there. Many people are only after the money that’s in your pocket, which is why you’ll find affiliate links and pitches to join deals peppered throughout the answers you get to your questions. (sorry guys…I call ‘em as I see ‘em) Remember…there is no “magic bullet” no matter how good it sounds. YOU’RE the one that has to put in the time and the effort, even if you have purchased a $3500 program.

PLUS…I’m an advocate of free and/or very low cost tools and training. More on that another time. You can get started in your home based business with a little self examination, some homework and very little out of pocket expense. Be careful out there…and good luck!!

Despite the critique, the United States has one of the best education system in the world, and no, it’s not perfect, and it’s almost impossible to please everyone. You have teachers unions, administrators, school boards, citizens, and you can never keep thirty kids in the classroom happy, quiet, and constantly learning. That’s a lot of minds to keep content. Okay so let’s talk about this because I’ve always believed that education is an important topic at every level of government, especially in your own community.

Most chambers of commerce have education committees, and this is very wise because the business community also has a stake in the education of Americans. After all, what good is a worker if they can’t read, write, or do basic math and can’t even count the change back to customers? Obviously you can see that point. If those who are educated are not productive members of society then we have a severe problem with keeping up in our technical age. Our civilization society cannot survive unless we have a solid school system and we are only as strong as our schools were 20 years the prior.

Now then, let’s talk a little bit about a Chamber of Commerce education committee and exactly who should be on it. Is my contention that large corporations within the district or city or region ought to be involved. Along with librarians, K-12 teachers, college professors, college administrators and even those who are running the Boys and Girls Club for instance. Everyone has a stake, and if the Chamber of Commerce is to get involved in education they need to have the proper input from the right people.

Since education is a community affair, and since chambers are part of the business community and an integral part of jobs and employment, it is critical that everyone work together. The chamber educational committee should be networking with businesses both small and large, and community groups before and after school as well. Chamber of Commerce members should be speaking at K-12 schools, and also involve themselves with the colleges and universities in the area not only for available internships, but also to advise on curriculum.

Why do I say this you ask? It’s simple; the curriculum needs to always be changing because the world is changing. Teaching people cursive writing, how to use a typewriter, an adding machine, or even a cash register doesn’t make a lot of sense. It’s time for the world to move on, and the education system needs to be able to innovate along with it if it is to provide what the community needs in the way of future educated employees. Please consider all this and think on it.