Hints & Tips for Opening Your Own Business

It is easy to assume that if you have a good business idea or  unique product then this is all you need for your business to be successful. However, that is not true. The business world is tough and therefore you need to make sure you know what you are doing. Of course, no one expects you to suddenly become a business expert overnight but having an idea of what you are getting into is always a good thing!

Write A Business Plan
Before you get started you need to make sure you write a business plan. This can seem daunting if it is something that is new to you, but it doesn’t have to be too complicated. You need to have an idea of how your business is going to perform and why you expect to perform in that way. You might need to do a little research into all of your target audience and have a good idea of who is going to buy from you.

Ask For Help
Running a business isn’t easy, but being your own boss is rewarding. Rather than attempting to go it alone you should look up any free training courses, networking events and business seminars. These are great for picking up hints and tips, as well as networking with any local industry relevant people too!

Where Will Your Business Be Based?
You need to have a think about business premises and where you are going to be based. You could go down the route of an online business which works well, but this alongside a physical store often works the best. You will tend to find that busier areas of town are more expensive to rent and buy. That said, these are busier and therefore tend to generate more passing trading. You need to do a little research into this and decide what is best for you.

Customer Payments
It is essential that you think about the customer’s shopping experience and how you can make life as easy for them as possible. Epos Now – point of sale specialists recommend that you offer a number of payment methods. Customers should be able to pay by both cash and debit card, although if they are shopping online then PayPal should replace the cash option. Where possible you should also give them the choice of paying by credit card if they want to.

Business Finances

Starting a business is not cheap, so you need to start thinking about how you are going to finance this. If you have some of your own money to put into this then that is great. If you need more than this then you should start looking at loans, government schemes, research grants and even local business funding to see what options are available to you. You might need to show business plans and research for this, so make sure you have all of this done before you start applying for finances.

Setting Up Your Business
You are probably going to need some help with this part, but deciding on the legal structure of your business is essential.  You’ll need to decide whether you are a sole proprietor, a partnership, limited liability etc. As this is a legal requirement you will probably want to seek legal help and advice with this stage. You will also need to look at registering your business name with the state government.
Tax Identification
Once you know you are good to go and your business is ready to go then you need to set up a tax identification number. You will need to check with tax identification number you need from the IRS and then contact your state revenue agency. You will also need to look at workers compensation, unemployment and disability insurance which you can only do when you have a tax identification number.

Permits
It is also worth checking when you need any business permits and licenses to trade. Look up a list of local licenses, as well as federal and state permits that you might need. Work your way through this list and check off what you need, to make sure that you have everything that you need.

What are Your Responsibilities?
It is really important that you understand what responsibilities you have when you start to hire people. You can get legal advice on this and there is plenty of advice online too! It is about more than just making sure you pay their pages. You need to check that you are not working them too hard, that they have the right number of breaks, holidays etc.

Getting Help and Advice
Whilst all of this can seem confusing, you might find in reassuring to know that there is plenty of help out there. Once you have an idea of what type of business you would like you can then look for help and advice on which routes to go down.    If you are unsure of people who can help you with this then look up small business training and support online. You are bound to find organisations that are able to help.

The important thing to remember is that although starting your own business can be hard work,  it is also an exciting adventure. Being your own boss is really rewarding. You also get the added bonus of the fact that this hard work now is setting up your business for a solid future.

When you have a business idea that you are sure is going to work it can be tempting to rush in with excitement and want to get the ball rolling straight away. When a business venture like this it is far better to try and play the long game. Researching your options, following all of the legal rules and setting up solid foundations for your business is the best way to make sure that your business has the best possible chance of success. That isn’t to say you shouldn’t get excited, because you should – just make sure you have the important parts sorted out first!