A method and apparatus for enabling a stand-alone integrated circuit (IC) includes processing that begins by establishing an idle state that holds at least a portion of the stand-alone integrated circuit in a reset condition when a power source is operably coupled to the stand-alone integrated circuit. A stand-alone integrated circuit includes generally an on-chip power converter, a reset circuit and some functional circuitry, which may be a microprocessor, digital signal processor digital circuitry, state machine, logic circuitry, analog circuitry, and/or any type of components and/or circuits that perform a desired electrical function. When a power enable signal is received, the on-chip power converter is enabled to generate at least 1 supply from the power source. The processing continues by enabling functionality of the stand-alone integrated circuit when the at least one supply has substantially reached a steady state condition.