Starting a small business

If you’re looking for info on professional training—and I mean seriously anything related to it—your best bet is just heading over to a local community college and having a quick word with the department heads. I've knocked out a few exams there myself... honestly, it’s not even that big of a deal. Everything goes smoothly if you just follow the basic steps.

Guys, I really need some help here!
I’ve been handed this task and I’m honestly stuck on how to tackle it...😠
So, here’s the deal: this woman runs a restaurant and a catering business, but on top of all that, she’s baking these healthy nettle cookies. She wants to start selling them packaged in local grocery stores and maybe even set up her own booth at farmers' markets.

What kind of hoops does she need to jump through to make this happen??????????? Thanks in advance for any advice!!!!!!!!

vividcanyon80 said:Guys, I really need some help here!
I’ve been handed this task and I’m honestly stuck on how to tackle it...😠
So, here’s the deal: this woman runs a restaurant and a catering business, but on top of all that, she’s baking these healthy nettle cookies. She wants to start selling them packaged in local grocery stores and maybe even set up her own booth at farmers' markets.

What kind of hoops does she need to jump through to make this happen??????????? Thanks in advance for any advice!!!!!!!!

Look, setting up a booth is pretty straightforward—you just head down to City Hall or the local county office to file the paperwork for your small business. You don't need any special degree for that! Just register the business, get your tax ID and licenses sorted, and you're good to go. But—and this is a big "but"—is she selling those cookies with proper FDA-compliant nutrition labels? Because if she isn't, she's going to hit a massive wall. You can't be out there selling food products without a proper label and compliance!

crimsonhawk15 said:Help!

I’m looking to set up a little souvenir stand on my own property, but I have zero clue where to start with all this paperwork.

What kind of permits am I gonna need, and who do I actually have to talk to to get everything legal?

Tnx 😉

Well, first you’d head down to the local county office or City Hall to hand over your high school diploma or certifications—plus you'll need a medical clearance, too—which usually runs you about $233. Once you get your business license sorted through the state, you just go back to the local authorities to let them know you're officially open for business. Then, an inspector will likely swing by... you know how it is! You'll have to make sure you meet all the minimum technical requirements—and yeah, under the current US regulations, even a small roadside stand has to meet certain standards now—but once that's done, you're pretty much good to go. Good luck!

vividcanyon80 thanks for the help, but I’ve still got some questions for you!!!
So here's the deal... this lady runs a restaurant and makes these little cookies—kind of like those honey-infused treats you'd find at a local bakery. Now she wants to package them up and sell them in grocery stores. She's already got her paperwork in order, but I'm wondering: can you actually take stuff made in a commercial restaurant kitchen and sell it retail like that? Or does she need to launch a whole separate LLC just for the baking side of things? I'm completely lost here; I have no clue where to look or what regulations to dig through to figure this out.

vividcanyon80 said:vividcanyon80 thanks for the help, but I’ve still got some questions for you!!!
So here's the deal... this lady runs a restaurant and makes these little cookies—kind of like those honey-infused treats you'd find at a local bakery. Now she wants to package them up and sell them in grocery stores. She's already got her paperwork in order, but I'm wondering: can you actually take stuff made in a commercial restaurant kitchen and sell it retail like that? Or does she need to launch a whole separate LLC just for the baking side of things? I'm completely lost here; I have no clue where to look or what regulations to dig through to figure this out.

Hmm, believe me, I'm not totally sure either! Selling food is a whole different beast—the rules are pretty intense and can get super strict. Honestly, the best move would probably be to head down to City Hall or the local health department and just lay it all out for them; they should be able to point you in the right direction. Sending you tons of good vibes for this!👍

I could really use some advice here!
I’m thinking about starting a business organizing kids' birthday parties, and I have a few questions. What kind of business license should I apply for? Also, do I need to be a certified educator myself, or can I just hire one to work for me? Regarding the location—does the space need to meet specific commercial building codes, or would it be okay to run this out of my house if I have a backyard? Lastly, is it possible for me to be the only employee if I don't have an education background? Thanks so much!!!!

Hey everyone... I'm pretty new to this forum...

I'm looking to start my own small business! The thing is, I need about 50 $0.00 worth of equipment to get things moving... so I was wondering if there's any way to land a loan and where I should even look? Ideally, I'd need a grace period on payments for a year or two. Right now, I'm actually unemployed... the business itself looks really profitable, I just need the startup capital to get off the ground...

You aren't going to get approved for any kind of loan anywhere... unfortunately 😢

Oh boy, I am completely out of my element here... if anyone would be willing to help me make sense of this...
So, here is my situation: I have an economics degree, I currently work at a bank, and I’m in the middle of retraining to become a cosmetologist. My ultimate dream is to open my own salon and quit my corporate job entirely, but given the current state of the economy, I can't just jump into the deep end without a life jacket. My plan is to start small by setting up a sole proprietorship, hire one woman to help me out, and see how things go for a few months before I officially hand in my resignation. If all goes well, I'll transition into full-time work, etc... that's the long and short of it!
Now, my big question is: since I am married, am I legally allowed to open a business in my own name?
If I do, would I only be responsible for her payroll taxes, health insurance, and social security contributions?
And would I also be permitted to work shifts at the salon myself from time to time?
I know that getting a small business license set up involves dealing with $333. Roughly how much should I expect to pay each month in taxes, government fees, and her employee withholdings?
Lastly, is it possible for me to handle my own bookkeeping, or would I be required to hire someone else?

Thanks so much

First off, do me a favor and read through this thread

and this one

as well as this

before you come back with more questions. ☕Just get up to speed first.

Quincy:

So, since I'm currently employed, can I open my own business under my own name?

You can.

Quincy:

Will I just be paying her payroll taxes, health insurance, and all that?

If you set up an LLC, you'll cover her payroll taxes, and then there's your own self-employment tax and healthcare—basically 35% of your net income, capped at whatever the IRS sets as the base for the year (if you make more than that cap, you just pay 35% of the cap itself)...

Quincy:

Am I allowed to pick up side shifts at other salons too?

Sure, you can.

Quincy:

I know starting a business is a whole thing $333. But roughly how much would I be looking at monthly for government fees—taxes, contributions, her payroll registration?

1. Employee costs depend entirely on the salary you report... say you put her down for a $3,500 gross salary, you're looking at roughly $1333 per month
2. Fannie Mae dues—it used to be $80 quarterly ($320 annually), but they bumped it up to $85 (so about $340)
3. Professional association fees based on annual profit—that fluctuates depending on what you actually pull in during the year
4. Business name/registration fee—once a year, roughly $333
5. Local Chamber of Commerce dues (if your industry falls under those specific local requirements)
6. Local business licensing/permits—depends on the city and where your shop is located
7. Estimated tax payments—depends on your actual earnings
8. Your own taxes—35% of your net profit (if your tax return shows $10, you'll owe an extra $3.50 once the Police Department issues the resolution)

Quincy:

And can I handle my own books? Like, act as my own accountant?

You can, provided you actually know how...

Thanks so much!!

A true enthusiast at heart... 🙂 🙂 🙂

silverbison293 said:You aren't going to get approved for any kind of loan anywhere... unfortunately 😢

Not anywhere? Really? What about those small business loans the Federal Reserve offers for startups and local shops? If anyone actually knows how that works, I could really use some insight... I just need a loan specifically to cover some machinery😕

What exactly is the protocol when moving a sole proprietorship's headquarters from one city to another? I'm specifically looking at the ripple effect regarding administrative shifts—things like updating the IRS jurisdiction, notifying the local Chamber of Commerce, and so on. How long does this entire process typically take to wrap up?

Also, will the "new" tax authority recognize all previous business purchases made under the old address for input tax credits or deductions? I assume since the EIN remains the same throughout the US, it should be a seamless transition, but I'd like some clarity on that logic.

Never mind that previous post, I managed to figure it out...😁

Well, you might as well just write down the answer now—you know, so some poor traveler stumbling upon this thread in the future actually finds a solution to the mess. 😁

Hey there!

First time posting on this forum!
So, I’ve got a bit of a question for you all: does anyone know where I can find—if such a thing even exists—a definitive list of all those independent small businesses? My current understanding of what actually counts as an independent contractor or a solo proprietor is feeling a little fuzzy...
On top of that, just to clear things up, I’m not a cosmetologist—I'm actually in the medical field—but I’m looking to open a studio with some specialized equipment that kind of sits right on that blurry line between aesthetics and clinical medicine. I’ve been digging through the business classification codes, but I can't for the life of me find the right category that doesn't strictly require a cosmetology license. Plizz, help!

Edward Murphy7 said:Hey there!

First time posting on this forum!
So, I’ve got a bit of a question for you all: does anyone know where I can find—if such a thing even exists—a definitive list of all those independent small businesses? My current understanding of what actually counts as an independent contractor or a solo proprietor is feeling a little fuzzy...
On top of that, just to clear things up, I’m not a cosmetologist—I'm actually in the medical field—but I’m looking to open a studio with some specialized equipment that kind of sits right on that blurry line between aesthetics and clinical medicine. I’ve been digging through the business classification codes, but I can't for the life of me find the right category that doesn't strictly require a cosmetology license. Plizz, help!

It would probably be best to just call your local Small Business Administration office and ask them everything you need to know...