Have you dreamed of being your own boss by having your own home based business opportunity? Have you dreamed of firing your present boss, of telling him/her that you found a better, easier way to make money? Best of all, you can do it in your pajamas, at home, while watching the kids and making enough money to cover all your expenses. It's called home based business opportunity, or making money through your computer and the internet. All you need is a quiet corner of the house, a desk, a computer with broadband access and the self-discipline needed when nobody is pressuring you to finish the job.

The internet is full of various strategies to make money, some legitimate and some not so much. One of them is called Multi Level Marketing (MLM), a strategy that has existed long before the invention of the World Wide Web. This is a genuine home business opportunity as long as you make sure that it is legitimate and not a Ponzi scheme. MLM is called multi-level because it allows you to make money not only from your own sales, but also from the sales of other people under you, people you have recruited to do the selling of a direct selling company. They in turn recruit more people to do the same and pretty soon, you are making money from all these new folks.

Now many people are turned off by MLM or network marketing because of a perception problem. If you stop and looked at traditional businesses, you would actually see that those business models have many of the same characteristics. Although we don't want to admit it, but most people work in a multi level type organization and don't even realize it. Think about that statement for a minute. Every time your company sells a product or service, many people in the company are getting compensated for that sale. In other words, multiple people in various levels are getting paid.

The real and legal MLM enterprises pay you a commission on every sale, but not on people you bring to the group. However, they do allow you to earn an additional commission on what they, the new people, have sold. So, if you are really energetic and consistent, you'll reach a point where you just sit at home and collect from the work of others. I know it sounds too good to be true. Imagine a genuine, legal and profitable home based business opportunity that will allow me to retire in the near future while I am still young. OK, so it's not that easy, so here are a few tips to keep in mind while evaluating a network marketing company.

1. Carefully pick a product that you are familiar with.
2. Check the list of MLM companies that offer the product to make sure they are legitimate in every way.

a. Avoid brand new companies; go for those that have been in business several years (Preferably with 5 or more years). That tells you that they are probably quite legitimate.

b. Try to talk to existing distributors in your area (Google search). They can give you valuable information about the company.

c. Check and see if you can find customers testimonials.

3. Read the conditions very carefully before agreeing to start selling.
4. Investigate in your immediate environment whether the product has a market at the price offered by the MLM company.
5. Make a detailed list of every friend and acquaintances who might be interested in joining your team (Don't include your immediate family unless they live 100 miles or more from you).
6. Make sure the MLM offers training and support (Most reputable companies do).
7. A good company will give you leads, that is people who are interested in buying the product in your area.
8. Again, the good MLM company already has a national marketing campaign, which means it has brand recognition, an important factor when you try to convince a client.

By far, the best home based business opportunity with the least financial risk is network marketing. The start up costs are minimal, however, the payoff can be substantial provided you are willing to invest the required time and energy to become successful. There are no short cuts to success. Treat your business like a real business and keep in mind the above 8 elements to minimizing your risk in starting a business.