So you want to follow an entrepreneurial path and start your own business. Chart your course and man your own ship. Congratulations! (And enough of the journey metaphors.)

There are more than 23 million small businesses in the U.S. (more than half, by the way, are home-based, so you too can do this.) The number of small businesses in the U.S. has actually increased by 49 percent since 1983.

To turn your pipe dream into a real, thriving business, you'll have to roll up the sleeves and work hard to kickstart it.

Just deciding to start is half the battle. Once you've made that choices, this Smart Guide provides comprehensive checklists to ensure you keep moving.