More than 10 million Brits dream of leaving their jobs and starting their own business, according to a new study.

The survey found that a third of us have recently thought about going it alone in business, with one in five of us actually planning to take the leap into self employment in the next year. The average worker spends the equivalent of three days a year day-dreaming about their future business from their desk.

So, is it because we hate our jobs, or just don't have enough work to do? Not according to the study - 37% of the respondents say the main reason is simply to earn more money than they do at the moment, and more than 40% of us are thinking of starting a business because we crave more freedom in the way we work, and a quarter of us want to turn a hobby into a paying business.

Rosemary French, of Business Link, which carried out the poll, said: "It’s encouraging to see how many people dream of setting up their own business to enjoy the flexibility and benefits of working for themselves. The research also showed that nearly as many women as men are keen to become their own boss.”

This is encouraging news, but the problem with day dreaming is that, more often than not, business ideas remain just that - a dream. Of the 2,000 Brits who took part in the survey, a third of people dreaming of setting up their own business might not get round to doing it because they're unsure how to go about it.

Money is another concern, with 30% of aspiring entrepreneurs saying they are worried about getting into debt or adding to existing money problems. Almost half would worry about getting the money together to fund the business in the first place.

“Many people who wish to start their own company can be put off due to fear of failure or uncertainty about how to start,” says French. “However there is a wealth of free information, advice and support available locally and online, to help budding entrepreneurs every step of the way.”

If you are one of these day-dreamers, there is a wealth of information on www.MothersWhoWork.co.uk, and Business Link to point you in the right direction. And if you'd like to run your own business but don't know where to start - or maybe don't even have a business idea, you might want to look into setting up a franchise - this week, we will be profiling some franchises, and there are many more ideas already on the site.

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