Providing IT Services, Working From Home

What are some of the best IT skills to have or acquire in order to be able to provide IT services from your own office or your home office?

I am not very comfortable sitting in someone else?s cubical saying I?m an independent software consultant while someone else is calling the shots.
Also, the regular employees today see you as a temp worker or a contractor.
Your status is not what it once was. When you sit in someone else?s cubical today you are just a temp or a contractor. Also, I wantto do my part cutting back on polluting the air/environment with carbon emissions from driving to work.