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View Full Version : Starting a small business, what do I need?



rwolford87
08-12-2014, 10:05 PM
Hello,
So I'm going to start my own business out of my home, specializing in custom graphic work (signs, banners, t-shirts, vinyl decals, auto wraps, etc.)with plans of moving into a store and growing from there. I have everything planned out with how much I am going to charge, I've created my own POS software using Microsoft access that will keep track of all income and invoices. I have everything figured out as far as what I'm going to do, what I'm going to name it, and how the business is going to be ran. However, I am new to starting a legit business. I'm looking for some help on what I need legally. Can someone give me a list of the things I need to do to make this all legal? Thanks.

Blessed
08-12-2014, 11:27 PM
Since it sounds like you are really, really new to the world of doing business for yourself what about looking up your local Small Business Administration and talking to them, taking advantage of the free materials they provide to new business owners and going from there? It's been a long time since I first got into business, but that was a resource I tapped into right away all those years ago...

Now... did I maintain contact with them and take full advantage of their programs? No, I was working full-time, my husband was working full-time and we started another full-time business in the middle of all that, but I remember going through the materials and using the info there to make sure we had all our bases covered!

bjay99
08-13-2014, 08:40 AM
Congratulations on starting your new business.
It sounds like you have all the tools and systems needed to operate.
As Blessed said, go to your local business office and ask for assistance.

Harold Mansfield
08-13-2014, 09:27 AM
Yep. Local business licensing. County Clerk or whatever it is in your area. That's where you get your DBA, and License. If you need to incorporate, talk to an attorney or paralegal who can help you if you can't do the legwork yourself to determine what kind of corporation you want to form.

If you haven't yet, the SBA.gov website can point you in the right direct with all of that.

I assume you are in the U.S.?

Benjamin Ertl
08-14-2014, 12:11 AM
Honestly I would do some quality reading if you haven't already. The Lean Startup and E-Myth revisited are good ones.

Kreater
08-14-2014, 03:59 PM
The first thing you should do is this:

In your local area, begin visiting new & old businesses who may need signs, and sell directly to the owners or marketers.
Have a website, photos, and/or examples of your sign work.
Here's an important tip: know the sign laws of your county and state!

If you came to my business, I'd readily buy signs between $20-80 straight up. I need signs badly. But I don't know the sign laws. And I wouldn't know where to put them.
If you have that information, and could help me, and could sell me some signs at my business, then I'd easily pay you right on the spot.

Go out of your way, and you can undercut sign-making shops that are already setup as your competition.
There's at least one sign-shop in each small city I'm nearby. It'd be a competitive field. But it has a lot of potential.


Once you start making some money, THEN decide about starting your business. You should have a revenue before a business in my opinion.
You will need to decide to register your business as a sole-proprietorship or an LLC enterprise.
You will need to contact your state business administration and register your business name.
You will need to obtain a federal tax ID status and number.