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What Kind of Business Do You Want to Start?

Millions of workers are quietly toiling in their cubicles and dream of breaking free from corporate culture. Almost a quarter of full-time or part-time working Americans have considered leaving a job to become self-employed, according to a USA TODAY/Gallup Poll taken in July.

Many others don’t want to ditch their day jobs but want to dabble in side projects to earn extra dough. Still others need to restart their careers after being laid off.

No matter what type of entrepreneurial venture someone undertakes, experts agree that an essential initial step is to research the industry, product or service offered, expected duties and the potential customer base. “Many businesses that open often have not prepared well enough, and they don’t understand the challenges,” says Ken Yancey, CEO of non-profit entrepreneur mentoring group Score.

To help would-be entrepreneurs get started, USA TODAY has outlined some of the more popular types of businesses that people start, as well as their pros and cons.

	Direct Sales
	Service Companies
	Internet-Based
	Existing Businesses
	Retailing
	Products