Entrepreneurs can start a lucrative business from the comfort of their homes by following these simple steps. The U.S. Department of Commerce reported that small businesses make up 96% of all exporters. The keys to success are thorough research, organization, and communication. Take your time at the startup phase to make sure that you have all what is needed before making an investment.

An e-commerce business model outlines how the business plans on making money and where it is positioned within the value change. E-commerce business models vary in complexity, but can be categorized into several types. When an entrepreneur decides to start a business online, these are the general business models to choose from in order to generate revenue.

Starting a small online business is risky, and the chance of success is slim. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, roughly 50% of small businesses fail within the first five years. The SBA.gov advises small business owners that success depends primarily on the owner’s foresight and organization, and even then there are no guarantees.

The moving averages method of forecasting product demand is especially useful for businesses in industries which are rapidly changing. Instead of looking at the average demand for a product for a set period of time, the moving average looks at a specific interval of time of which “moves” each week or month.

The Small Business Administration (SBA) provides small businesses with articles and how-to’s in their Small Business Planner and Training sections. Recently, the SBA teamed with Microsoft to develop a series of three free training modules for the Training section of the SBA site. The first module “Business Technology Simplified” is available as an 18 minute slideshow or eBook of 202 pages.