When you are working at home, the dress code is up to you. But don't just assume that working at home means working in your bathrobe.

When you run a business out of your home, the issue of dealing with your neighbors, your friends, and your family comes to mind almost immediately. A traditional work setting contains natural boundaries for the people in your personal life. However, when you work at home you will need to create these boundaries so that your business, as well as your personal life, can run smoothly and successfully.

When you work at home you want to make sure that you and your business are taken seriously by customers, clients, and suppliers. You can do your part to ensure this happens by keeping the following points in mind:

When you're thinking of starting a business that you can run out of your home, we suggest you first consider the nature of the business you want to open. Some types of businesses lend themselves to being run out of a home and others do not. An important issue to consider is whether your home business will disturb your neighbors or have an effect on the character of your neighborhood.

One of the most exciting, and important, aspects of planning your business is deciding on the facility in which you will conduct it. Of course, once you have a place to operate your business, you're probably going to need some equipment and possibly a car or truck to effectively do your work. You're also going to need to insure your workplace and equipment, and to be concerned about security and safety issues.

If you're thinking of starting a home-based business, you have a special set of issues to consider, along with all the usual issues that must be faced by anyone who is starting a business. Here are some of the major questions you need to answer:

A decision to work in your home is likely to impact both your personal life and your business. Even if you carefully separate the business areas of your home from the residential portions, the existence of the home office can create conflicts that you wouldn't face in an office located away from your home. Friends and family might not fully understand the implications of a home office and may need some time to adjust to the fact that you require uninterrupted work time, even though you are at home.