Everyone has their own reasons why they started (or will start) an online business. An informal survey of Internet entrepreneurs revealed some of the most common reasons why people start online businesses. It's interesting to see the variety. Here they are in no particular order.

1. More time with family and partner. People value their relationships and want to stay close to the ones they love. Many people who work outside their home spend too much time away from their children or partner. It can cause conflict in their lives. Running an online business from home solves that problem to a large extent. You're still very busy but at least you're present.

2. Illness or injury can cause massive change to people's lives. It can mean that working outside the home is simply no longer an option. As long as you can still type and think, you can run an online business.

3. It's surprising how many online entrepreneurs became such because they retired from regular jobs they held for years. After retiring, many people find that either they still need an income or they're simply bored.

4. This one's probably the most popular reason: money. The Internet provides new opportunities for people to realize their financial goals, whether by starting a new online business or by expanding an exisiting business into cyberspace to reach a global market.

5. Some people get into it simply because they are fascinated by the idea of making money online and want to see if it really can be done.

6. Many people have it as a life goal to own a business. However, most of those people aren't able to realize that goal once they see the cost of establishing a traditional business. The Internet provides an opportunity for those who want to start a business but don't have the large amount of start-up capital it takes to start a traditional business. Starting a business online takes money but not nearly as much as starting a traditional business.

7. Most people who start traditional businesses tend to do it in their 30s or 40s. Age is much less a factor in online business. You can start your online business at age 12, age 72, or anywhere in between.

8. Finally, there are those who start an online busines because of a lack of opportunity where they live. Sometimes they live in a rural area. Other times they simply don't see any good opportunities around them. In either case, by starting their own online business, they make their own opportunities.