You CAN start with empty pockets and lots of cash and build a steady income, even wealth, through the Internet. However, it is a long and difficult path, so it is better to prepare yourself and take a good map.

First, a comparison to building a physical business offline, just for perspective. If you are young, you can educate yourself in your field, go to work for someone else, and build your experience, reputation, and equity. Then you could get a loan to start a business, rent a store, buy all the necessary equipment, tools, furniture, and merchandise, buy advertising, and wait years to get out of debt and turn a profit.

If you’re not young, have a family and all the expenses and debt that goes with it, and you’re not making enough money working to support someone else, you don’t have the same options. Night school, years of part-time education and training, with your creditors hounding you every step of the way…sound familiar?

So you turn on your computer and wonder…you wish…for one of those get-rich-quick promises to come true for you. I wouldn’t go there if I were you.

These are some of the first steps to start as an Internet entrepreneur:

1. Honest self-assessment: There are certain qualities necessary to be self-employed. If you can honestly say that you are self-disciplined, driven, determined, confident, patient, persevering, and maybe even a little stubborn, you have what it takes.

2. Research – You should spend some time researching the company, the products, and the people who already work in the business. Is the company solid and trustworthy, are the company executives approachable and responsive, are the products of high convenience and quality, and, perhaps most importantly, is there an experienced, successful, and friendly support team?

3. Support – Surround yourself with cheerleaders, mentors, knowledge, and inspiration, both online and offline. Your family, business and others who have succeeded where you are first stepping should be there for you. You should never feel that you are completely alone.

4. Infrastructure: Decide what you need: computer, printer, fax, telephone; whatever your chosen business requires. Create an office space that suits your lifestyle and work needs. A corner of the living room may work well if you can work while the kids are at school or are not bothered by their noise, but night work may require a separate room. Don’t put your office in the bedroom if you work nights and your spouse goes to bed early. You need your family’s support, not their animosity!

5. Realism: It’s tempting to test a business that makes promises it can’t keep. Many tell you that one person or a few make thousands of dollars a week and you can too. None of them will point out that you may be one of the thousands who quit before you hit a hundred. “Put money in your pocket today!” Yes, but will anyone come in tomorrow?

Accept the fact that any worthwhile business can take time. Maybe you can start making money in a couple of months, or maybe in a year. You have to be able to sustain life as you know it for as long as it takes. Understand that it won’t be a steady climb to the top from where you are today; the road will go up and down.

6. Selling someone else’s product or your own: Obviously, the big money is in selling your own product. However, selling for another company is a great way to get your feet wet in Internet commerce. At first, it may feel like you’re floating on a bottomless sea of ​​information, but at some point the knowledge that you’re “getting it” will come. Working for a good company will let you know that you have what it takes to make it on your own, if you want to.

7. Business plan: This keeps you focused, helps you develop goals, strategies and work plans; and helps to evaluate your results. You can include contingency plans and it is never set in stone. As you learn and your business develops, the plan will also evolve.

Now that you have the roadmap… take the first step! Your future starts today!