Thousands of Americans have set up their own home-based business in recent years and a number of people who have done so successfully have explained to the Associated Press how they were able to do it.

It is important to be dedicated and focussed in order to get your home-based business off the ground and having a clear strategy for company structure can be crucial, explained entrepreneur Tamara Monosoff.

Another factor to consider is how a home-based office is going to look and function, an operating space needs to be designated and made the most of, commented Charles Matthews, executive director of the University of Cincinnati’s Centre for Entrepreneurship in Ohio.

He said: "Select a location that’s exclusively devoted to your business. It doesn’t have to be huge but it has to be effective and efficient, especially if you have clients visit your office."

Citing figures from the Small Business Administration’s Office of Advocacy in the US, the same report suggests almost half of all businesses in America are now operated from a home-based headquarters.

When it comes to allowing for flexible working the UK has fallen behind some of its European counterparts, a report form the Equal Opportunities Commission claimed recently.