Wendy Sherlock, Editor of www.tropical-plants-and-flowers-guide.com

It was 2008, and the company I work for announced the manufacturing site I work at would be shutting down within the next two years.

With the economy slowing down and showing signs of instability, I was not all that surprised. Believe it or not, I felt lucky. Many of my friends were getting let go on the spot. I was being given one to two years notice!

I began brainstorming my options:

I could look into opportunities within the company. This would mean relocating since there are no sites within the immediate area. Not ideal since I have a son and share custody with his father.

I could pursue a job at another company. Not a bad option if I could find one close to where I live, with comparable or better pay and benefits.

I could look for other opportunities: start my own business, buy an existing business, or work from home doing consulting work. This was my favorite option; however the risks involved (investment required, minimal/fluctuating pay, providing my own benefits, lack of stability, etc.) gave me pause.

Shortly after the announcement in 2008, I started researching option #3. Starting a business seemed risky; especially considering the state of the economy. Buying an existing business would be less risky; assuming I did the due diligence and purchased a stable, profitable business. Consulting work can be feast and famine; even assuming I had the knowledge and skills that fit this type of career.

After a few months, a lot of research, and a lot of reading, I was getting discouraged. During my research, I was bombarded with work at home and MLM business opportunities. Many required some kind of financial investment with little or no promise of a return of the investment. Some promised unlimited earning potential with little effort. Hmmm, something for nothing?

I began researching the possibility of starting a website for profit. I found companies that offered inexpensive (cheap) web hosting with templates available that allowed you to get your website up “in just a few hours”.
 
That sounded great, but I had many questions. What type of website should I create? After I published my website, how would I get visitors to come to my site? What could I, should I sell? In my research, I had come across terms like: keyword optimized, inbound links, and search engine optimization. What????

I was skeptical (to say the least) when my sister (who now owns her own website) approached me about a company that offers the opportunity to learn how to build a profitable online business. The company, SBI!, provides an eBusiness self-study course that removes the technical barriers related to starting a successful online business, allowing you to keep your attention on building your business.

Many functions are completely automated. You don't need to know anything upfront about building a Web site in order to succeed. The tedious, "under-the-hood" stuff is handled automatically so you can focus on other important business-building activities.

As of January, 2010, more and more people find my website every day – a website based on a topic I am passionate about (as well as being profitable). I have started to monetize (make money from) the increasing traffic. I am on target to transition from my job (ending this year) to making a full time income from my website.

Feel free to send me your questions and comments. I love to get feedback from our readers.