1. Be tough. Running a business isn't child's play no matter how passionate you are about cooking, sewing, writing, pets, kids, the elderly, whathaveyou. Don't let other people distract you or deny you.

2. Set work hours and stick to them. Mon-Wed-Friday from 8-3. You're working. Close the door or put a line on the floor and say, "Do not cross this line when I'm working."

3. Be budget conscious. You need good computer equipment, you need training, a car to meet clients at their convenience, and office supplies. Can you afford them?

4. Don't drink too much coffee. Seriously. Despite any supposed health benefits, more than 2-3 cups of coffee a day is bad for your stomach. Drink water or switch to tea.

5. Be realistic. Think big, plan big, but stay grounded. You only succeed by doing what you do best. Set manageable goals and stick to them.

6. Learn how to tell stories. Social media is all the rage and it involves telling stories. Sometimes short stories (twitter), sometimes supportive stories of friends and family (Facebook), sometimes the story of you (your blog) and why you are doing what you do. The story of you needs to focus on - your audience. Not on you. Give them reason to get to know you better. Then, get to know them better.

These are things I did NOT know when I started my home-based business. I thought, "I know how to do...XYZ...if I just stick to it, I will succeed."

Not. I had to learn how to budget and demand my friends and family take my work seriously, and I had to limit coffee intake, and I had to realize that I would not make my million dollar goal overnight, but that I could make it if I invested both time and money. I knew how to tell stories but I had to reteach myself, because telling a story on a blog or twitter is different than telling it in a networking group meeting.

In essence, passion is a good starting place. But, the fundamentals of being in business require you to learn what that means.