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Starting a small business

Started by Justin Walker24 · · 👁 39 views · 1.1K replies

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Participants Justin Walker24AMegan Chavez38Elizabeth Miller8Aaron MendozaRobert KimEric Martinez2Kenneth RobertsSophia Gonzalez6shadowjackal88vividstag31redscout61Robin Rodriguez5Nicole Morales3Chris Ruiz10coastalviper8Dana Miller6John Thomas2Steven Bishop2Jerry Martinez3Kevin White53Emily Ortiz25silentpanther15Dennis Lopez46 …
boldcanyon2 boldcanyon2 Newcomer
1 message
joined Feb 2008
#221 ·
Greeting, everyone. It’s been quite a while, but I’m back in the mix with you all.
I have a specific question regarding small business ownership. A friend of mine is looking for some guidance.
He’s dealing with a heart condition that has significantly limited his ability to work. Currently, he is out on medical leave, and there is a very strong possibility he will be transitioning into disability retirement soon.
To put it bluntly: we have someone on disability leave—likely headed for a disability pension—who wants to launch a "low-impact" sole proprietorship. Is that even on the table?
He needs an answer from someone who actually understands the intricacies of American law!
Kimberly Nguyen Kimberly Nguyen Regular
543 messages
joined Jul 2009
#222 ·
boldcanyon2 said:Greeting, everyone. It’s been quite a while, but I’m back in the mix with you all.
I have a specific question regarding small business ownership. A friend of mine is looking for some guidance.
He’s dealing with a heart condition that has significantly limited his ability to work. Currently, he is out on medical leave, and there is a very strong possibility he will be transitioning into disability retirement soon.
To put it bluntly: we have someone on disability leave—likely headed for a disability pension—who wants to launch a "low-impact" sole proprietorship. Is that even on the table?
He needs an answer from someone who actually understands the intricacies of American law!

There's already a thread about opening a small business, so I'm merging this...
And look, if you need advice from an actual legal expert, you should probably head over to a legal forum instead. 😉
Steven Martinez3 Steven Martinez3 Newcomer
4 messages
joined May 2007
#223 ·
I really need to pick your brains on something here.

So, I run my own small business in one city—let’s say Washington, D.C.—but because my workload is shifting, I’ve gone ahead and leased some commercial space in a different city, maybe somewhere like Miami. It’s actually in a completely different state, too. For the time being, I don't have any plans to hire anyone else since I basically split my life between these two locations anyway.
What’s the best move here??? Should I just change my official business address, or can I register this new spot as a secondary branch without actually having staff on site? I'm trying to figure out what makes the most sense from a tax and financial standpoint...

Oh, and one more thing. I also do some side work to supplement the main business income.

Thanks!
Donna Moore28 Donna Moore28 Newcomer
1 message
joined Mar 2008
#224 ·
Greeting everyone!
I’ve been thinking about this out loud for a few days now and I just can't make up my mind. I could really use some help from those of you who
actually have experience
with this dilemma: which is better to go with—setting up an LLC
or starting a sole proprietorship, whether it's small or large scale?
Thanks in advance!!!!
neonmarlin56 neonmarlin56 Member
22 messages
joined Sep 2010
#225 ·
Anyway, I figured some of you might find this super helpful!

So, if you’re looking to start your own small business, the first thing on your checklist is getting a medical exam—and yeah, you’ve gotta pay for that yourself. You'll also need a photocopy of your ID, proof of your highest level of education, and a signed statement from your landlord giving you the green light to run your business at their location (just make sure it's notarized, obviously)!

Once you've got all that ready, just head over to the local Small Business Administration office in downtown Chicago and they'll walk you through filling out all the paperwork right there alongside you.

If you want to save yourself a massive headache and actually get some pro tips on setting up your shop, give this number a ring: 48 06 605. There's an incredibly sweet lady on the line who can explain everything to you in plain English.
Kimberly Nguyen Kimberly Nguyen Regular
543 messages
joined Jul 2009
#226 ·
You’re digging up ancient history here... if you haven't noticed, this thread dates all the way back to 2005. 😉

Do yourself a favor and go read some of the active threads instead... and for heaven's sake, make sure you check out Important - Forum Rules - Update

This conversation is being locked immediately.
Ronald Palmer9 Ronald Palmer9 Newcomer
4 messages
joined Mar 2008
#227 ·
What kind of credentials and specific requirements do I need to get a pizzeria up and running?
goldenranger21 goldenranger21 Newcomer
6 messages
joined Mar 2008
#228 ·
If my math checks out...
If you’re setting up an LLC, you don't need any specific credentials—but if you go the sole proprietorship route, you’ll likely need some hospitality training or have to pass a server certification exam just to get by... ☕
Ronald Palmer9 Ronald Palmer9 Newcomer
4 messages
joined Mar 2008
#229 ·
Emily Ortiz25 said:If you actually want to open a small business, you’re basically looking at needing a master's certification or maybe something like 15 years of experience under your belt, I guess. So, unless you happen to have that sitting around somewhere, you might just have to hire someone who does,

But wait, how are you supposed to hire someone if you haven't even officially registered the business yet? Are we expected to hire employees for a company that doesn't technically exist? 😕
Ronald Palmer9 Ronald Palmer9 Newcomer
4 messages
joined Mar 2008
#230 ·
goldenranger21 said:If my math checks out...
If you’re setting up an LLC, you don't need any specific credentials—but if you go the sole proprietorship route, you’ll likely need some hospitality training or have to pass a server certification exam just to get by... ☕

Actually, for an LLC, you still have to have a qualified professional on staff.
goldenranger21 goldenranger21 Newcomer
6 messages
joined Mar 2008
#231 ·
Ronald Palmer9 said:But wait, how are you supposed to hire someone if you haven't even officially registered the business yet? Are we expected to hire employees for a company that doesn't technically exist? 😕

Just set up an LLC ☕
goldenranger21 goldenranger21 Newcomer
6 messages
joined Mar 2008
#232 ·
Ronald Palmer9 said:Actually, for an LLC, you still have to have a qualified professional on staff.

Are you sure about that?
goldenranger21 goldenranger21 Newcomer
6 messages
joined Mar 2008
#233 ·
Ronald Palmer9 said:Actually, for an LLC, you still have to have a qualified professional on staff.

Take a look at this—it explains how people set up LLCs specifically because they don't hold the required certifications themselves... though obviously, the startup costs vary quite a bit.

http://www.tvrtka.biz/tvrtka/index.p...id=35&Itemid=1
Henry Campbell5 Henry Campbell5 Active Member
77 messages
joined Jun 2008
#234 ·
Why is my business partner pushing me to set up an LLC just so they can pay for services? Apparently, it’s more convenient for them than just cutting a check... but setting up a full business structure feels like way too much overhead for a gig that isn't even guaranteed long-term.
Sandra Campbell9 Sandra Campbell9 Member
31 messages
joined Mar 2008
#235 ·
Please, don't laugh at me, but I must admit I am somewhat out of my depth here, so if anyone possesses any insight, I would be immensely grateful for your help!
I have recently acquired some farmland and I am contemplating applying for those government agricultural grants—likely to plant a hazelnut orchard, I suppose. Now, since I will eventually need to find a market for my harvest, I find myself wondering whether I ought to go through the trouble of registering a small business, or if there might be some other regulatory framework that governs how these things are handled?😕
Robin Adams7 Robin Adams7 Newcomer
1 message
joined Apr 2008
#236 ·
Hey everyone. I've started building out a recording studio.

The plan is to launch this as a full-on commercial business, not just some hobby setup for my own tracks.
The issue is, I can't find any actual regulations regarding this specific niche.

Is this treated like any other standard commercial office space?
Would it fall under a specialized trade license or just a general small business?
Can you even register music production as a formal small business?
How does the billing and pricing structure usually work?
And what's the minimum ceiling height required? That’s a huge hurdle because I'm capped at about 9 feet. Hopefully, that's enough.

I checked out here:

But found absolutely nothing about music recording specifically.

Any advice would be appreciated.
James Mitchell11 James Mitchell11 Member
25 messages
joined Oct 2013
#237 ·
Robin Adams7 said:Hey everyone. I've started building out a recording studio.

The plan is to launch this as a full-on commercial business, not just some hobby setup for my own tracks.
The issue is, I can't find any actual regulations regarding this specific niche.

Is this treated like any other standard commercial office space?
Would it fall under a specialized trade license or just a general small business?
Can you even register music production as a formal small business?
How does the billing and pricing structure usually work?
And what's the minimum ceiling height required? That’s a huge hurdle because I'm capped at about 9 feet. Hopefully, that's enough.

I checked out here:

But found absolutely nothing about music recording specifically.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Maybe someone at the local Chamber of Commerce could point you in the right direction?
Which city are you planning to open the studio in?
Alex Watson21 Alex Watson21 Member
15 messages
joined May 2008
#238 ·
Hey everyone... Not sure if there’s already a thread for this, so I’m just gonna throw it out there. Basically, my phone line is under my own name, but I use it for basically everything related to my small business. Since the bill is technically in my name as the owner rather than being registered directly to the LLC, can I still write these costs off on my taxes? Thanks for any help...
Robert Fox8 Robert Fox8 Newcomer
2 messages
joined May 2008
#239 ·
Look, let's get one thing straight about what a small business owner actually is—it’s just an individual, a regular citizen running a permanent gig to make a living or turn a profit. You own everything. Every single asset you put on the books, plus whatever else you've got lying around, it’s all yours. And since the business is basically just an extension of you, that phone line? It’s under your name, period. There isn't really a distinction because the business is just the commercial side of your own life. Now, if you want to write off those phone bills as a tax deduction, you have to prove they're strictly for work—which can be a bit of a headache. Honestly, the easiest way to avoid a fight with the IRS is to just carry two separate lines—one for your personal life and one dedicated solely to the business—especially if you're running the whole operation out of your house. Oh, and for VAT purposes—or rather, when dealing with sales tax and reporting—make sure the invoice includes your Social Security number. It keeps things clean.
Alex Watson21 Alex Watson21 Member
15 messages
joined May 2008
#240 ·
So I’ve got this phone line registered under my own name instead of my LLC... does that automatically mean I can't write it off as a business expense? It gets a bit messy because the connection is at a different address than where I actually live.

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