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Sometimes the cart does indeed go before the horse. When that happens in business, the situation can be tricky, so keeping track of where you are and where you're headed is vital to avoid overload.

I started my Internet home-based business by providing transcription services for clients. As I learned more and more about the Internet and gained confidence to apply my knowledge and experience globally, I started to explore other opportunities that might be 'out there' in cyberspace.

And sure enough, I found them!

Pretty soon I added more client services, and quickly my Internet marketplace started to expand beyond the U.S.

In fact, my very first editing client was a very nice fellow from the United Kingdom. It was his first experience hiring someone on the Internet, so we learned a few things together. We've remained friends and done other projects since that original job.

In what seemed like no time at all, my client base grew as I continued to offer additional services, relying heavily on word-of-mouth referrals.

But before I knew it, the work got "crowded," I guess because I was having so much fun and found it really hard to say, "NO." Fortunately, I had the luxury of being able to accept or decline projects, so I naturally opted for the best fit of clients and services.

Over time, 3 basic steps stand out for helping to keep any Internet business simple ' and prosperous:

1. Don't bite off more than you can chew. Trying to do too many things at once just complicates your life and compromises your efforts. Stay Focused! To accomplish goals, it's necessary to keep an eagle eye on what's behind, beside, in front of, and ahead of you; to learn from past efforts, and especially failures. Instead of wasting valuable time, energy and oftentimes money brooding about past mistakes, use those events as the proverbial stepping stones we read and hear so much about to Move Forward!

2. Know the details of your business inside and out. If you're technically challenged or have trouble writing copy, get help. You don't have to do everything yourself! Hiring a 'Virtual Assistant' when you need one is smart business. While it's true that just starting out it's sometimes necessary to do it all yourself, as soon as you can, hire an assistant to do basic or menial tasks, or those tasks you simply hate to do. A valuable assistant is definitely worth your investment.

3. Treat your clients as if they're Santa Claus, because if you're good ... you get Big rewards! Providing excellent service has never gone out of style, and that theory applies to the Internet just like any brick & mortar business. People expect good products and services, and if you provide anything less, then you're misplaced. Always Do It Right!