n't give you the opportunity to earn in your first month. Why? Chances are you'll become discouraged and quit if your efforts aren't rewarded in a timely manner. That's not to say that you WILL see an income in your first month, or even your first few months, but let that be down to your efforts (or lack of them) and not the company's pay plan.

#5. How simple is it to get started?

If it takes three months to start your

Whilst investigating home business opportunities (and I do hope you've looked at many options), you'll no doubt have come across countless home business programs that claim to be fully automated and/or will change your life overnight.

Sound too good to be true?

Well, I'm as open-minded as they come - that's why I've fallen for... sorry, tried more than one of these little beauties in the past only to discover, AGAIN, that there's no such thing as a free lunch!

So, where do you start? How can YOU tell if an opportunity is not only legitimate, but also a winner?

The solution is in my 6-step formula - if you answer yes to these questions, chances are you've found a red-hot home business opportunity with the potential to make you wealthy.

Here are my 6 steps:

#1. Are the products or services part of an expanding market?

This is crucial. If you want your home business to grow and keep growing, then you need to be sure that demand for what you're making money from is going to increase. Otherwise you'll be forever chasing your tail by re-inventing your business.

#2. Does the opportunity offer help, support and guidance from experts with a proven track record of making money?

This'll separate the men from the boys and will quickly reduce your shortlist. If you find such an opportunity, it's definitely worth exploring further.

#3. Does the company offer a long-term opportunity?

In other words, is the system the company has in place designed to make people money for the next 10, 20 or even 30 years? Avoid opportunities that sound golden but will lose their glitter very quickly.

#4. How quickly can you start seeing results?

Avoid businesses that don't give you the opportunity to earn in your first month. Why? Chances are you'll become discouraged and quit if your efforts aren't rewarded in a timely manner. That's not to say that you WILL see an income in your first month, or even your first few months, but let that be down to your efforts (or lack of them) and not the company's pay plan.

#5. How simple is it to get started?

If it takes three months to start your b

at there's no such thing as a free lunch!

So, where do you start? How can YOU tell if an opportunity is not only legitimate, but also a winner?

The solution is in my 6-step formula - if you answer yes to these questions, chances are you've found a red-hot home business opportunity with the potential to make you wealthy.

Here are my 6 steps:

#1. Are the products or services part of an expanding market?

This is crucial. If you want your home business to grow and keep growing, then you need to be sure that demand for what you're making money from is going to increase. Otherwise you'll be forever chasing your tail by re-inventing your business.

#2. Does the opportunity offer help, support and guidance from experts with a proven track record of making money?

This'll separate the men from the boys and will quickly reduce your shortlist. If you find such an opportunity, it's definitely worth exploring further.

#3. Does the company offer a long-term opportunity?

In other words, is the system the company has in place designed to make people money for the next 10, 20 or even 30 years? Avoid opportunities that sound golden but will lose their glitter very quickly.

#4. How quickly can you start seeing results?

Avoid businesses that don't give you the opportunity to earn in your first month. Why? Chances are you'll become discouraged and quit if your efforts aren't rewarded in a timely manner. That's not to say that you WILL see an income in your first month, or even your first few months, but let that be down to your efforts (or lack of them) and not the company's pay plan.

#5. How simple is it to get started?

If it takes three months to start your

his is crucial. If you want your home business to grow and keep growing, then you need to be sure that demand for what you're making money from is going to increase. Otherwise you'll be forever chasing your tail by re-inventing your business.

#2. Does the opportunity offer help, support and guidance from experts with a proven track record of making money?

This'll separate the men from the boys and will quickly reduce your shortlist. If you find such an opportunity, it's definitely worth exploring further.

#3. Does the company offer a long-term opportunity?

In other words, is the system the company has in place designed to make people money for the next 10, 20 or even 30 years? Avoid opportunities that sound golden but will lose their glitter very quickly.

#4. How quickly can you start seeing results?

Avoid businesses that don't give you the opportunity to earn in your first month. Why? Chances are you'll become discouraged and quit if your efforts aren't rewarded in a timely manner. That's not to say that you WILL see an income in your first month, or even your first few months, but let that be down to your efforts (or lack of them) and not the company's pay plan.

#5. How simple is it to get started?

If it takes three months to start your

r shortlist. If you find such an opportunity, it's definitely worth exploring further.

#3. Does the company offer a long-term opportunity?

In other words, is the system the company has in place designed to make people money for the next 10, 20 or even 30 years? Avoid opportunities that sound golden but will lose their glitter very quickly.

#4. How quickly can you start seeing results?

Avoid businesses that don't give you the opportunity to earn in your first month. Why? Chances are you'll become discouraged and quit if your efforts aren't rewarded in a timely manner. That's not to say that you WILL see an income in your first month, or even your first few months, but let that be down to your efforts (or lack of them) and not the company's pay plan.

#5. How simple is it to get started?

If it takes three months to start your

n't give you the opportunity to earn in your first month. Why? Chances are you'll become discouraged and quit if your efforts aren't rewarded in a timely manner. That's not to say that you WILL see an income in your first month, or even your first few months, but let that be down to your efforts (or lack of them) and not the company's pay plan.

#5. How simple is it to get started?

If it takes three months to start your business, why even become involved? Most home based business opportunities, especially online businesses, can have you started within minutes of registering. So, depending on your how quickly you spread the word, it's possible to start earning within days.

#6. Can you earn a residual income?

Ah... the holy grail of any business! Residual income (or passive income), if you don't already know, is an income that you earn whether you work or not. For example, if you make a sale on a broadband connection or a magazine subscription, getting paid a commission on the sale is only the start - by earning a commission on the ongoing monthly billing of that customer is residual income - an income that you can receive for months or years after the initial effort.

Residual income is what sets you financially free! Only when your passive income exceeds your expenses can you consider yourself to be truly wealthy.

To summarise...

Starting a business from home is a dream for much of the population but, all too often, 'fools' rush in without doing their homework first, then blame someone else when they fail.

By following these 6 steps, your chances of success will be significantly higher!