Maybe it’s because you haven’t yet landed that dream job you hoped for right out of college. Or perhaps you’ve lost faith in what was once the more traditional standard for employment, where employee loyalty was reciprocated by employers. Maybe you’ve always been someone who takes the initiative and works hard so you can reap the benefits that only being your own boss can bring. You may be graduating from high school, and you know college just isn’t right for you. But, you also know you have the drive, determination and dedication that being an entrepreneur requires, and you want greater control of what happens in your professional and, ultimately, your financial future.

As a new or soon-to-be graduate who is interested in owning your own business, you’re not alone. The most recent Gallup Poll on the subject shows that 72% of young people would prefer to start their own business rather than work for someone else. Further Gallup data illustrates quite strongly that pursuing that dream can really pay off, as 83% of small business owners say they would do it all over again. In addition, three out of four feel confident that owning their own business has been more financially advantageous than working for another company in the same field could have ever been.

That’s all encouraging, but as a newly minted, self-proclaimed entrepreneur just out of school, it’s important to know that not all home-based or other small business opportunities are created equal. Your academic years may be behind you (or almost behind you), but your learning has really just begun.

To be a truly successful entrepreneur takes careful planning, and part of any thorough planning process means seeking advice from those who have gone before you. In fact, when asked what the most important lessons they learned were when they were starting out, today’s small business owners said that asking for more advice from experienced small business owners was second only to wishing they had secured more start-up capital. Everybody knows that you need money to start and sustain a business, but far too many overlook the critical need to create a well conceived business plan and establish networks of support so that they can stick with it.

Things You Should Watch Out and Look For

Experts say to beware of “get rich quick” schemes, many of which are aimed at young people just out of school. There are a number of business opportunities out there that are designed to draw uninformed people into their multi-level marketing operation for the sole purpose of generating revenue for the operation itself and the people who run it. The actual exchange of goods and services is secondary and often practically non-existent. So, don't jump too quickly just because something looks too good to be true.  It just might be.

Your Time Is Now

The younger you are, the higher your tolerance for financial and personal risk. There is no better time to pursue your dream of becoming a successful entrepreneur than when you are young and not yet tied to a paycheck. Add to that a spouse and a family to support down the road, and pursuing your long-held dream and doing all the hard work necessary to make it successful becomes far more difficult.

If you’re young and you want to be your own boss, pursuing a home based or other small business opportunity that you are passionate about may be the smartest move you ever make. You’ll never know if you don’t try. Marc Miller hopes the motto his mentor shared with him many years back will guide you as it has him if you decide to take the plunge,

“Smart people are smart because they listen to smart people, but brilliant people are brilliant because they listen to wise people.”

Spoken like a man who’s been there, done that and done it well.

Data sources: Gallup Poll data 2005-6.