We have all seen the pop up ads, one page websites, and received the emails at one time or another that state: "In a matter of minutes, you can start an Internet business, work from home, and make hundreds, even thousands of dollars each and every month." We have seen them so many times we don’t give them any more thought, we just hit delete and move on with our day. But, could some of these opportunities be true? Can you can start a business, work from home, and make hundreds, even thousands of dollars each and every month? The answer is yes, sort of. Let me explain.

While visiting the local zoo would you expect a three-toed sloth (the world’s slowest mammal) to suddenly move at lightning speed from tree to tree? Of course you wouldn’t, a sloth is typically a slow mover, methodically contemplating every move.

The same is true for the famed get rich quick slogan many sites offer the inside secrets too. While it is possible to make a decent living with an online business, the riches do not flow overnight, but they do over time. Just like the three-toed sloth eventually makes it from tree to tree, a new business earns a dollar at a time. It’s a step-by-step process and in the beginning the riches are slow, but if you stick with the plan and don’t quit the riches begin to grow.

Recently, I was watching a documentary on the fastest animal on the planet, the Cheetah. As I prepared for this post I noticed a strange correlation in how the Cheetah hunts its prey, and how a business grows from infancy to success. The Cheetah takes its time in the field, observing the opportunities of prey before it. When an opportunity presents itself, the Cheetah quickly places itself in a position to capitalize on the opportunity, in its case a group of Gazelles, in yours, a potential business. At this point the Cheetah starts to move low and close to the ground taking it step by step aware that any false move could spoil the kill. It continues on this plan of attack gradually increasing speed as the weakest Gazelle reveals itself.

Similar to the Gazelle an online business requires a workable plan as well. The good news is many of the websites offering a platform to run your business, have already done much of the planning for you. It becomes your job to run the business effectively and make a success of it.

Continuing on our analogy, as the Cheetah continues down the path of opportunity its speed gradually increases until it reaches top speed. Like the Cheetah, an Internet business will eventually reach its full potential and provided you don’t quit before it gets there, you too will reap the rewards by perseverance.

Just like any other business, an online work from home business takes determination and the ability to persevere above all else. The tag line get rich quick is in itself, unlikely, but the potential to make a considerable income over a period of time remains by following a plan is obtainable.

Mark Ford is a home based business owner and internet entrepreneur who publishes articles on a wide range of home based business and marketing topics.