There's this interesting read, it's actually a question and answer feature from CNN regarding the expertise of an ex-home-based-business person. Here is my favorite part regarding what home based business to start and the technology to use.

The biggest thing, the most frequently asked question is, "What kind of a home-based business should I start?" They know they want a business, they would like to be home-based: maybe it's a mother who's going to have a baby and she wants to stay home or maybe a parent is ill or a spouse is ill and they need to make some income and stay home.

And it's an almost impossible question to answer, and the reason is if you're going to be in a business, you must be in a business that you love a lot ... almost as much as you love a child. Because you've got to be able to stay with it when the times are rough and when the times are good, and if you don't love it you won't.

The other question I get asked a lot is about technology. "What kind of technology would make me more productive as a home-based business owner?" You've got to have a computer and ... because often times space is an issue with a home-based business, they've got the really good combination like the "biz hub." We've got one in my regular business actually, it's a scanner/fax/copier and it's all in one piece and you don't have three different pieces of equipment.

Here's the full interview.