The most important thing you can do to prepare for starting and operating your own business is planning. Developing a business plan requires a lot of time and energy, but it’s invaluable because it forces you to come to terms with your business idea. You must decide how you will generate income, what your expenses will be, who your competitors are and a lot more. The business plan exists for a reason. There are libraries of books written on them and huge websites devoted to developing good ones. Take a few weeks and develop a strong and thought-out plan. Give it to friends, co-workers, even family to read. Your business will be immeasurably stronger because you took the time for this step.