The right time to start your new business is right now. Today.

Whenever I suggest that to someone who's going to start their new business "soon", I get a variety of replies, mostly prefaced by "yes, but".

Yes, but I have to get my business cards printed. Yes, but I don't have a business plan. Yes, but I don't have the time right now. Yes, but I'm (or my wife) is pregnant.

All of which tells me that this person is waiting for some magical time in the future, when the conditions will be exactly right, and when they'll have all the time, confidence, and expertise they'll ever need.

Unfortunately, that time will never come. The conditions will never be exactly what you want them to be. You'll never have all the time you need, and you get confidence and expertise by doing, not by thinking and studying.

There are only four things you need to start your business today. Here they are:

=> You need to know what you're going to sell

What product or service will you sell? If you're a writer, you'll be selling both your products and your services. You'll have a line of books and ebooks you've written, plus articles you've written, and you'll also sell your writing services.

If you're selling your services, you need to be competent enough to know what you're doing, but assuming that you are, once you know what services you're going to sell, get to work and sell.

If you're selling someone else's products, you need to get those products at a good price, and work out how much you're going to charge for them.

If you know what you're going to sell (even if there are problems and things you haven't quite straightened out yet), make a phone call to a potential client, place an ad in the paper, call people in the same business you're in and tell them you're available if they want to sub-contract work to you.

You just need to get started. Twenty-five years ago Bill Gates of Microsoft fame sold DOS (Disk Operating System) before he'd created the system. He just did it.

No, you don't need to get business cards printed, and you don't need to have a business plan. Not right now, not today. You might want to get these items, but you don't need them today. Just go ahead and sell.

=> You need the determination to just do it, no matter what

Working in your own business is basically no different from working for someone else, but you'll have a stricter boss.

If you're working for someone else, moonlighting in your own business for a year or two is ideal. Your primary employment keeps the wolf from the door, so you'll be able to relax because your bills will get paid. However, it's vital that you treat your moonlighting efforts as if you were working in a second job.

That is, you need to show up on time, you need to put in a set number of hours, you need to work when you've got a headache, when you're not in the mood, when you'd rather be watching TV or going to the movies or taking your children to soccer practice.

=> You need courage

Many people want to start their own business. Few actually do it. And fewer still stick with it for more than a year or two.

Starting and running your own business takes courage. You need to believe in yourself. How do you get that belief?

You get it by being scared, and doing what you need to do anyway. Courage isn't being fearless, it's acting in spite of your fear.

=> You need to shut up

DO NOT talk about what you're going to do, or are doing. Everyone, from your family and friends to the most casual of acquaintances will take immense pleasure in telling you why your business won't work. They'll tell you in extreme detail, too.

Take the attitude that if they're not funding your business, their opinions and advice are irrelevant.

None of these people mean to hurt you or your new business, but they will. Why? Because explaining yourself and your plans takes energy. You can put that energy to much better use in by quietly working in your business.

If you need advice, talk to someone who's SUCCESSFULLY doing what you want to do. You may need to pay for their advice. If so, look on it as money well spent.

Good luck, and remember that today is the day. You'll never get a better day to start your business.