According to the National Foundation of Women Business Owners, in the mid-1990s there were 3.5 million women operating home-based businesses in the U.S and that figure has more than doubled in less than a decade, indicating that at least 8 million countrywide home-based business are operated by moms.

For most women, working from home offers flexibility to spend more time with the family, more time to manage the household and more money to contribute to the family's income.

A home-based business also allows women to channel their creative abilities and talents. A number of studies by the Kaufmann Foundation have concluded that "mompreneurs" provide a positive role model to their children, particularly their daughters.

For Jennifer Ash, proprietor of Napa Valley Lavender, growing a business out of her home has provided benefits to her family that she didn't anticipate.

Ash started her business nearly eight years ago when she and her husband realized coming home at 10 p.m. wasn't cutting it for their family.

Ash wanted the flexibility of raising her kids and raising a business. She still remembers her son Elliot, then 3 years old, helping her plant lavender fields.

Today, Elliot and his older sister Katherine are critical to the family business operations.

Katherine has even developed her own line of lavender products and as a teenager keeps track of the inventory.

According to her mom, Katherine is her best salesperson and Elliot is even aware of profitability and costing.

Napa Valley Lavender grew out of Ash's home and into a retail and wholesale site several years ago.

Ash, a true mother of invention, has started another home business providing personal shopping at home through a franchise call etcetera.com.

The business allows women to sell designer clothing at their site and allows buyers to purchase "Nordstrom quality" clothing in a comfortable setting.

According to Ash, "It's all about the flexibility of keeping mom's at home so they can balance their many roles."

For female business owners and mompreneurs there are resources available that can assist moms to start a business and effectively run a business.

Locally, there is our Small Business Development Center that provides low-cost training and one-on-one counseling for mother's seeking to start or expand their businesses.

Nationally there are organizations like Moms in Business Network and the National Women in Business Organization, with resources to assist their members.

NAWBO will hold their annual 2006 Women's Business Conference in San Francisco June 2-3.

I encourage all moms interested in starting a business to do their homework first.

Not all "business opportunities" specifically targeted to moms are true opportunities and profitable for the business owner.

The Small Business Development Center and SCORE can help with a new venture's initial feasibility.

Napa Valley College SBDC will offer a Business Start-up Orientation Friday, from 2 to 4:30 p.m. at the Napa Chamber of Commerce.

Jerry Jinnett, business advisor and author of several books, including "The Women Entrepreneur," is the trainer.