Is it time for you start a home business career? Is it time to say goodbye to your cubicle? Is it time to say goodbye to the rush hour traffic? You're probably thinking "Oh yeah!", but you need to make sure you're really prepared before you take that plunge. It's easy to mistake a strong desire to leave, with a condition of having all your ducks in a row and really being ready to leave. Many people (your humble author included) have quit too early only to realize that they had to go back to the 9 to 5 grind while they finished their preparations.

There are some things you should consider and plan for before you deliver that well rehearsed speech to your boss:

* how long will it take to get your new home business career up and running?

* how long will it take before it starts producing enough income for you to live on?

* what if you have to spend money to get your business moving?

* what if your new home business career flops? (Many do.)

* do you have a backup plan?

And here's the real punch line for anyone considering starting their home business career by ending a long stint in the corporate 9 to 5 world. If you have been at it long enough that you're really sick and tired of spending a third of your life in a cubicle, there's a good chance you might have a little bit of graying around the temples. If something goes wrong, and you have to eat some crow, will your age be a factor in getting a new job? Are you humble enough to go to your old boss, pretend that you take back most of what you said in your exit speech, and ask for your old job back?

Unless you already have a big nest egg set aside, it is usually prudent to start your home business career by moonlighting at it while you endure another year or two at the office. Just think though, while you're at work you can be planning and plotting your after hours work on your business. It's nice not to have to worry about where the mortgage payment is going to come from this month or next while you're busy planning your home business career.