Starting Up A Small Business

So many great businesses have been started in the garages or kitchens of American Entrepreneurs. Hewlet-Packard developed their first computer in a garage. The same thing can be said about Google--although I understand there was a hot tub involved as well! What does a garage do to inspire so many entrepreneurs? Probably, just the large empty inexpensive space that can be filled with tables, boxes of wiring and junk and what ever. If you think you have the next greatest smoothie or cookie-- If you have a dream(usually it is more like an obsession) of starting your own business there are a few simple steps that you can take to get started.

• Write up a business plan detailing your venture, use this as a road map of how to go from start to success. It can be a simple plan of what you think you will need to get started and become competitive or it can be formal and detailed. You will also need a formal business plan if you think you will need financing.


• Check with your state to file an application for a business license.


• If you live in a state that has state income tax you will need to apply for an employee identification number (EIN).


• If you have any employees so far, then contact your state Department of Labor and file with them as well.


• Also you will need to find out if the name you have picked out for your business is already being used or a similar name is being used so that you don't get into trouble with trade mark infringement. You can do this through your Secretary of State Department.


• If you plan on making any food products you will need to check with your city's Department of Health for a food handling licence and find a commercial kitchen to work out of. You can look for a commercial kitchen through your Small Business Administration, Business Incubation Centers, and even your Parks Department.


• You can develop your recipes and ideas in your own kitchen--just go formal with a food handling licence when you plan to sell your food items.

As you plan your business keep in mind that it can take many months and in some cases years to make your dream into a profitable business. Make sure that you have a stream of income during that time while you are working on your new business. Also perseverance, hard work and believing in yourself and your idea are the keys to making it a reality. Never give up!

My mother the Entreprenuer.

My mom came to me about two months ago and asked me to help her with a business idea that she was thinking about. She would like to make specialty deserts and sell them. Our family has always had family members and friends that had a similar entrepreneurial mindset of starting up businesses and operating them with some success so I think its natural for her to want to do this. The thing is, is that she well qualifies for senior citizen status and she just lost her husband six months ago. I would tell you how old she is but, I'm sure it would give "Death by Chocolate" a whole new meaning. She was working on the idea before my Step-Father passed away and I think that his death motivated her to push harder. The concept of failure never crossed her mind.

We came up with a simple business plan and she took classes in food preparation and handling and became licensed by the health department. After a long and difficult search she found a commercial kitchen to work out of and has been making her desserts to build a catalogue and I have been putting a website together for her and researching out how to ship her desserts. Her start up costs were fairly low so she bootstrapped it and put it on her Visa card and started selling deserts locally in her city.

So far the Christmas season was not what I would call a huge success but she did get enough orders to keep her in business.