The Structure and Purpose of this Book This book is all about advice. It's as simple as that. It's advice that you can take or leave, but its good advice that comes from personal experience in the realm of the home-based e-business. For a year, I was the assistant to the president of a home-based internet business that should have been a great success. But despite its potential and its significant financial resources, it was a failing business. It seemed that at every turn, the president made mistakes that were compounded by more mistakes. These weren't simply errors in judgment, but a complete misunderstanding of what it meant to run an e-business from home, and how a home-based business compared to other brick-and-mortar establishments. I observed these mistakes and misunderstandings, and thought constantly of ways to correct them or avoid them entirely. I watched the entrepreneurial ship sink, and the resources of the company dissolve, because of chronic mismanagement and misunderstanding of the nature of the home-based business. I listed and categorized the elements of a business startup that were not addressed in the context of the failing company. This book is the result of those observations and the culmination of a year of close observation of 'what not to do' as well as what must be done for success. It is my sincere belief that a little understanding and forethought can turn a potential financial disaster into a great success, and my hope that by reading these chapters, your business will succeed where so many others have failed. This book is organized into sets of practical tips for your business, from picking a room for your home office to the government paperwork necessary to protect your investment. From setting up your workspace to setting up your website, this guide is your number one source for setting up the infrastructure for your home business venture.