Starting a small business

mellowmarlin15 said:That's right. Retail businesses don't qualify for the simplified tax flat rate. You're stuck in the VAT system and required to use digital fiscalization from day one. A small business license is $67, something like that. Plus you'll need those specific tax stamps.
However, if you're renting commercial space, you'll need an electrical safety certificate and a fire extinguisher on hand. You’ll probably also need a first aid kit mounted somewhere. There are definitely more documents to gather, and the Office of Management and Budget is the authority that can clarify the specific requirements for any given small business. Unfortunately, most of these government offices operate in a way where you end up visiting four or five times just because they tell you some random paper is missing.
I wasted a massive amount of my own time dealing with that exact office when I was first setting up my business.

Not necessarily. You don't trigger that requirement until you cross the $250,000 threshold $0.00 or if you just decide to opt-in voluntarily. 😉

mellowmarlin15 said:You should probably reach out to the American Chamber of Commerce to figure out exactly which documents you'll need. Since the local government office handles business licenses, you might want to check with them to see if you qualify for any tax exemptions.
The Department of Labor offers self-employment incentives, and they even have programs for people over 55 who are starting their own ventures. However, regarding grants for those under 30, Minister Mrsić mentioned on Fox News the other night that the funds for this year have already been exhausted. It will likely reset on the first of the month, though. Your best bet is to check directly with the Department of Labor.

I've been trying to get some info lately, just in the last few days. From what I gather, the license fees are waived if you've got at least 20 years of work history and you're over 45—but right now, those details are sitting with the State Employment Agency.

@zlocka

Through active employment policy measures, you can actually get $6294, which is specifically meant to cover your payroll taxes (health and social security) for the first 12 months. The catch is you have to be registered with the Social Security Administration for at least one day. But—and here's the kicker—they told us at the Department that all the funds for this year are already gone.

So, honestly? I’d just go ahead and open the business. A 7-Eleven style setup (which, legally speaking, is just selling goods outside of a traditional storefront). Right now, I'm digging through these MTU regulations for retail, and man, there's just so much stuff out there.

I really need to nail down the specific classifications for selling goods outside of a permanent shop.

Like, I need to know the exact product assortment I'm allowed to stock in my 7-Eleven. I see plenty of these little stands and coffee kiosks scattered around the city.

In that specific spot where I'd want to set up a Trafika, I'd also love to run a Kisok for pastries, but according to these classifications, they have to be two completely separate entities—which, I suppose, makes sense.

What drives me absolutely crazy about this whole mess is how everyone gives you different answers. Dealing with these government officials is just constant door-to-door, number-to-number running... it's exhausting.

Unfortunately, it’s true that certain government employees interpret things in two completely different ways.
You really have to steel your nerves and be patient. In my experience, the Social Security Administration and Medicare & Medicaid handle things quite quickly, but the Office of Management and Budget is a total nightmare.
The Department of Labor is just as fast when it comes to processing paperwork.

I waited over two months just to hear back from the unemployment office regarding those incentive applications 😁—they weren't exactly moving fast back then—
but honestly, they weren't offering grants for the hospitality or retail sectors at the time anyway.

In my experience, I managed to clear all my paperwork with the Small Business Administration within a month, and it’s absolutely true that they don't offer incentives for retail or the restaurant industry. Roughly 5,000 people received grants for self-employment, some for sole proprietorships, and others for forming an LLC.

So, I have a quick question—I currently run my own small business (though it’ll probably fold eventually since things aren't exactly booming), and I’m looking at taking a job with a government agency. Does anyone know how the paperwork works regarding transitioning from self-employment to having my health insurance and Social Security covered through an employer?

Nathan Cox25 said:There probably aren't any tax incentives for retail. Setting up a small business involves some kind of registration fee—I can't recall the exact amount—but it isn't breaking the bank.
You can't go the simplified tax route here, since retailers and restaurant owners don't qualify for that specific status. You could set up a sole proprietorship instead; as someone mentioned on the forum once, you just need a high school diploma to open a shop as a small business owner. No master craftsman certification required.

Actually, there are incentives available for retail businesses. I personally received assistance through a self-employment program for launching my own company. To be fair, I was fortunate enough to receive my entire grant in one lump sum. I happened to be part of the final group that received the full amount upfront before they transitioned to a structured installment system.

Generally speaking, you can find various types of government incentives for almost any venture, though it all ultimately depends on your specific educational background and other qualifying factors.

James Lopez9 said:So, I have a quick question—I currently run my own small business (though it’ll probably fold eventually since things aren't exactly booming), and I’m looking at taking a job with a government agency. Does anyone know how the paperwork works regarding transitioning from self-employment to having my health insurance and Social Security covered through an employer?

You'd basically need to de-register your self-employment status for health and retirement purposes so they can enroll you through the agency. Your business would then just shift to a different classification, where you pay taxes based on whatever profit you actually manage to pull in.

thanks so much for the reply 😉

Hey there!
Does anyone know where I can track down some study materials for the professional certification exams (specifically for the server/prep cook level)? We’re opening up our own small business and just signed everyone up to take the tests, but we have absolutely no clue what we're actually supposed to be studying. To make matters worse, nobody at the local licensing office seems to have any answers—it feels like they're either clueless or just playing dumb... if anyone could point me in the right direction, I would be so incredibly grateful! 🙂

steelheron10 said:Hey there!
Does anyone know where I can track down some study materials for the professional certification exams (specifically for the server/prep cook level)? We’re opening up our own small business and just signed everyone up to take the tests, but we have absolutely no clue what we're actually supposed to be studying. To make matters worse, nobody at the local licensing office seems to have any answers—it feels like they're either clueless or just playing dumb... if anyone could point me in the right direction, I would be so incredibly grateful! 🙂

I was just scrolling through some stuff online—honestly, you guys really need to grab this book. Check this out— [link]

You can grab it right here—saves some serious cash! $27...

I feel like there’s more to this—honestly, someone who actually knows their way around this stuff should probably weigh in.

Carol Price4 said:I was just scrolling through some stuff online—honestly, you guys really need to grab this book. Check this out— [link]

You can grab it right here—saves some serious cash! $27...

I feel like there’s more to this—honestly, someone who actually knows their way around this stuff should probably weigh in.

I want to download it, but I hate having to register for everything. Can anyone just give me the title? I'll just go buy it somewhere else, no big deal..
I even tried reaching out to foxnews.com, but they didn't even bother getting back to me...
Come on guys, please help me out! 🙂

Hey everyone,
So, I figured I’d jump in here with a bit of a situation... I'm a foreign national (originally from Switzerland) and an artist; basically, I busk on the streets, playing my own songs and singing. I already checked in with the local police about how to get a residency permit (I need to file for temporary stay by May 12th, since that’s when my 90-day limit for busking without a license runs out). Since one of the requirements is having "sufficient means of support," I pretty much have to find a way to officially register my gig... and from what I've gathered, that would mean setting up a small business or a sole proprietorship.
Someone is actually looking into whether a street performer can even be registered as a small business, or if they’d classify me as an entertainer or something else entirely; in the meantime, I wanted to see if anyone here has dealt with this, or if you know any artists who have successfully gone the small business route?
Thanks

Jeffrey Jackson6

Jeffrey Jackson6 said:Hey everyone,
So, I figured I’d jump in here with a bit of a situation... I'm a foreign national (originally from Switzerland) and an artist; basically, I busk on the streets, playing my own songs and singing. I already checked in with the local police about how to get a residency permit (I need to file for temporary stay by May 12th, since that’s when my 90-day limit for busking without a license runs out). Since one of the requirements is having "sufficient means of support," I pretty much have to find a way to officially register my gig... and from what I've gathered, that would mean setting up a small business or a sole proprietorship.
Someone is actually looking into whether a street performer can even be registered as a small business, or if they’d classify me as an entertainer or something else entirely; in the meantime, I wanted to see if anyone here has dealt with this, or if you know any artists who have successfully gone the small business route?
Thanks

Jeffrey Jackson6

Hmm... there’s a specific ruling from the European Union Court of Justice on this topic, so I'm digging into it a bit.

http://europa.eu/eu-law/case-law/index_en.htm

case number: C-16/93

I think the main takeaway is this:

In the mentioned case, the issue was determining who counts as a taxpayer or someone performing a commercial activity. However, it's clear from the ruling that if a service is provided free of charge, or if the payment received isn't directly linked to the service in terms of a tax obligation—meaning there's no set fee or quid pro quo—then it can't be considered a commercial activity, and therefore the person performing those services, basically, cannot be considered a taxpayer .

Thanks for the reply... how on earth did you track that down? 😉

Hmm; alright, so Value-added tax is just sales tax; I'm pretty sure I wouldn't even be on the hook for it if my earnings stay under... maybe $85k $0.00? Or some ballpark figure like that, honestly.

Now here’s the real kicker: If I actually WANT to pay taxes (like, officially register because I need the paperwork for my residency permit), am I even ALLOWED to do that? Because this court ruling happened after some inspector insisted a musician HAD to pay, and then they ended up deciding they didn't have to...

I actually registered as a street performer for tax purposes back when I was in Switzerland... though I'm thinking their whole system works a little differently over there.

Hmm.

😉

I’m in the process of opening up my own little bistro, and I have a few questions—if anyone wouldn't mind lending me a hand! 1. Regarding the "complaint book"—is that still a legal requirement? I heard a rumor somewhere that they aren't really used anymore. 2. Where exactly does one go to get the menu pricing officially certified, and what kind of fees am I looking at there? 3. Someone mentioned that for tax purposes, I can choose not to register for the Value-added tax system—if that's true, who do I report this to and where? 4. As the owner of a small business (my bistro), am I required to register myself as an employee, or can I just work under the radar alongside one hired staff member? THANKS SO MUCH!

Hey, so I’m looking into setting up a seasonal sole proprietorship. When I was checking things out on the IRS website, they basically told me I had to commit to a specific season right away—like, pick if it’s gonna be 4, 5, or 6 months long. But honestly, is there any way to just play it by ear month-to-month? I really want to see how much work actually comes in before I lock anything down to figure out if this whole thing is even worth my time. I think I saw some mention of an 8-day deadline somewhere, but I’m totally lost. It feels like those government sites don't actually care about helping you; they just want you to open the business and leave you to figure it out yourself. I ended up just grinding through the online application solo.

I don't think it's a month-by-month thing—you actually have to list the specific date ranges you'll be working during the year when you first set things up.

Jason Carter said:I’m in the process of opening up my own little bistro, and I have a few questions—if anyone wouldn't mind lending me a hand! 1. Regarding the "complaint book"—is that still a legal requirement? I heard a rumor somewhere that they aren't really used anymore. 2. Where exactly does one go to get the menu pricing officially certified, and what kind of fees am I looking at there? 3. Someone mentioned that for tax purposes, I can choose not to register for the Value-added tax system—if that's true, who do I report this to and where? 4. As the owner of a small business (my bistro), am I required to register myself as an employee, or can I just work under the radar alongside one hired staff member? THANKS SO MUCH!

1. You're still required to provide notice per that specific section of the Privacy Act—basically, you have to let people know how they can file a grievance (via mail, email, or whatever works).
2. I'm not entirely certain—memory is a fickle thing—but I believe the menus don't need official certification; you just need to have them on hand if an inspector comes knocking.
3. For tax matters, you just register with the IRS taxpayer registry—that covers your bases.
4. You don't have to register yourself; just the employee. You can run the show, but you'll still need to clear your health permits and pass the basic hygiene requirements.

mellowwolf45 said:Hey, so I’m looking into setting up a seasonal sole proprietorship. When I was checking things out on the IRS website, they basically told me I had to commit to a specific season right away—like, pick if it’s gonna be 4, 5, or 6 months long. But honestly, is there any way to just play it by ear month-to-month? I really want to see how much work actually comes in before I lock anything down to figure out if this whole thing is even worth my time. I think I saw some mention of an 8-day deadline somewhere, but I’m totally lost. It feels like those government sites don't actually care about helping you; they just want you to open the business and leave you to figure it out yourself. I ended up just grinding through the online application solo.

Like placidlynx92 mentioned, you do have to specify your start and end dates upfront—but you can always amend them later if your workload shifts unexpectedly.