After satisfactorily answering the four questions Why - What - Where - How...then deciding to go forward to start a business, what now?  Well now the planning begins to ensure your success.  Think of it this way.  Would you start a cross-country trip without a plan?  No.  Well the same holds true for the small business you plan on running from your home.  Here are a few things to consider.

There are many things to consider during start-up and on the top of the list is seeking competent legal council and a good tax professional.  This way you start in the proper direction and shouldn't be bothered fixing something later you overlooked from a legal or tax perspective.

One overlooked item in planning is money.  It seams obvious but is it.  Ask yourself how long will it take to become profitable.  I know it's an educated guess, but you will need sufficient funds to stay the course.  It would be a shame to run out of funds just as you were nearing profitability.  Or worse yet, be unable to take care of the needs of your family.

A business plan is good to have too.  Mainly because with the inexpensive software out there it's almost a fill in the blank process to catch all the little details you may otherwise miss.  Having one also helps when applying for a loan because it makes you look more professional and business like. 

You're planning to work from home, right?  Do you have enough space to do that?  Garages do fill up quickly if you need to store products.  Bedrooms become scarce as the family grows.  etc. etc. etc.  You need to plan ahead for expansion: ask yourself...will I remodel, will I relocate, etc. and definitely the cost involved for each option.

Another financial consideration is the cost of acquiring the resources required to conduct your business.  In this day and age a computer and printer is almost a necessity for any business.  Hopefully you already have everything you need, but if you don't then in most cases you will need to pay for the items.  Also remember to factor in replacement costs too.

In a perfect world you start with sufficient customers to be in profit.  In the real world it takes a period of time to get into the momentum phase.  That is where the cash flow is good enough to not only pay you handsomely but sufficient enough to expand your business too.