Evaluating a home business opportunity objectively is not always an easy task.
Everyone's website and marketing materials are designed to highlight the positives and evade the potential negatives.
This is neither good nor bad in itself; it's just a fact.
After seriously looking at over 100 business opportunities, I developed a checklist of "Things to Know.
" These are broken down under the subheadings of Things To Learn About The Company, Things To Learn About The Products, Things To Learn About The Pay Plan, and Things To Learn About The Training.
This article will cover the first category.
Things to know about the company

1. Before you do anything else, find out about the company itself.
   I have found that one of the fastest ways to do this is to Google "xyz company," or "xyz scam.
   " With any company, there will be people who paid their money and did no actual work, and then who will write that they were ripped off, so take criticism with a grain of salt.
   However, if the same things come up repeatedly from different people, take that as a sign that all is not well.
   
2. Go directly to the company website to find out what you can about the owners, principals, and CEO.
   How long a company has been in business is certainly a consideration, but every large company was once a small one, and the people who started when it was small generally are hauling in the biggest bucks.
   The important things here are that the website tell you who the principals are, and that you can find information about them on the web.
   If there is any suspicion that these people are not of impeccable character, stay away.
   Also, be wary of any company that will not offer this information prominently on their website.
   
3. If you cannot tell the name of the company and their basic business on the first page of their website or marketing page, leave them alone.
   There is a reason that they don't put out that information up front.
   It reminds me too much of the old Amway (whom I love) days when you could tell your prospect anything except that it was Amway.
   I have been through as many as seven pages before I could had any clue what the business is about.
   
4. If your telephone number is required in order to get further information, beware.
   I'm not saying eliminate them from consideration, but do beware.
   The decision to talk on the phone should be yours to make.
   If the website can't give you the information you want, you run the risk of getting caught up in the flashy, scripted sales talk, and could make a decision without all the information.
   
5. Run away from any business that wants you to pay for information.
   I have been asked for as much as $49 just to find out what the product was.
   

Once you have checked out the company, and it passes your inspection, you are ready to proceed to the next step, Things To Learn About The Products.
If you have gotten this far, and the little voice in you is saying "watch out," I suggest you do.
To see one business that passed this first test, look at both the marketing site and the company site