In the January 06 issue of Treehouse Magazine, Chris Campbell sums up important steps on setting up your own business in the fields of webdev and creativity.

He writes:
In an attempt to reduce the number of frustrating hours searching the web for what you need, we’ve written this article to help you with the small business paperwork, the basics of accounting, and an overview of some legal considerations. The topics aren’t sexy, but they’ll get you headed in the right direction if you’re tired of working for the man and want to get out on your own.

Chris recommends a lot of great resources. Most are relevant to United States businesses only. Some, like Garret Dimmons article Steps to Becoming a Freelance Web Developer, give a good insight on becoming a freelancer independently of your nationality.

If you are interested, download a free sample of the Treehouse January issue.

Further readings:
Self-Employment, how the heck do you make it work?