It's the new American dream -- to be your own boss, with no commute, no corporate dictates to obey and your destiny resting squarely in your own hands. Technology has made it possible for more and more people to indulge in independence, with an estimated 25 million Americans now running home-based businesses. But, moving your things from a corporate cubicle to an office in your own home will certainly mean decreased productivity and diminished income. Or will it?

Take a look at these figures from a member survey conducted by the American Association of Home-based Businesses:

• Respondents reported a gross median income of $34,500. This exceeds the Bureau of Labor Statistics national average income figures by 28 percent.

• More than 80 percent of respondents expressed optimism about their businesses, with a full 50 percent saying they would not return to the corporate world for any amount of money.

• Of those surveyed, more than 40 percent reported that they worked more than 40 hours per week. So the notion that home-based workers spend their days watching Oprah and avoiding real work holds little water.

Setting Up Shop

Before you leave the confines of your cubicle, be sure an independent lifestyle is really for you. Here are a few simple questions to ask your prospective boss (that's you) before you clean out your desk:

• Are you self-motivated? Can you set and keep deadlines? This will be a crucial attribute once your supervisor is you.

• Can you and your family deal with the financial vagaries of independence? Despite the fact that independents' incomes average more than their corporate counterparts, money often makes its way into a home-based business on a fairly irregular basis. If this kind of uncertainty is not for you, you might be best to hold tightly to your regular paycheck.

• Are you excited -- rather than unnerved by risk? An independent business is nothing if not risky. You must be willing to deal with -- and even enjoy -- the risk, understanding that rewards may far outweigh some momentary discomfort.

• Are you skilled at building relationships? Being your own boss is really all about building the relationships that will help your business flourish.

If, after answering these questions, you find that you are suited to the independent lifestyle, get ready for the ride of your life.

"If you're looking for something safe and conservative, forget about going into business for yourself. But if you're creative, can think on your feet and change with shifts in the market, you could do very well as your own boss. When you're running your own show, there are no limits," comments Aileen Gorman, executive director of the Boston-based Commonwealth Institute. Gorman's organization is dedicated to providing wide-ranging support to women entrepreneurs.

Gorman adds that, in your own business, there are no salary caps. In fact, there are no caps of any kind. "The sky is the limit. There's no one to tell you how much money you can make. If you're very smart and creative, you can become very wealthy when you execute your exit strategy." (An exit strategy usually involves either going public with a stock offering or selling the company. Either way, the owner of a good business stands to make a significant return.)

As the proliferation of organizations like the Commonwealth Institute demonstrates, an independent lifestyle is proving especially attractive to women. In fact, 58 percent of the respondents in the American Association of Home-based Business's survey of independent business owners were women.

Female professionals say there is good reason for women to strike out on their own.

"When you own your own business, you don't have to deal with the glass ceiling. After a while, it gets really difficult to deal with the limitations in most work environments," comments Mary Nelen, an independent writer and president of a newly formed company, TeacherNet.com.