STARTING A BUSINESS

Starting a business involves planning, making key financial decisions, and completing a series of legal activities. You'll want to ensure you prepare thoroughly before starting a business, while recognizing that things may not go as planned.  It's important to be prepared on how to handle these unexpected encounters and to understand your options when they don't. To run a successful business, you must adapt to changing situations and learn how to pivot accordingly.

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Below is a list of items we can assist you and your team with.  If you're not even sure where to start or find yourself overwhelmed, we can help! Contact us. 

• Business Registration - Register with the federal government, and maybe your state government, too. Setting up your LLC and acquiring the EIN - Register your business and get federal and state tax IDs

• Get federal and state tax IDs - Acquiring your Employer Identification Number (EIN) is an important step to start and grow your business such as opening a bank account and paying taxes. Consider it similar to a social security number for your business. Additionally, some states require you to get a tax ID as well.

• Trademarks - We can assist with the decision making process if a trademark is right for you or if you should pursue another avenue.

• Choosing your business name - While picking a name may seem easy, it's important to take other factors into consideration before moving too far along. Ensure your preferred online domain isn't already taken, availability of the name so you don't run into legal issues, and that it's in line with your branding goals. 

• Logo Development - We can walk you through the whole process from brainstorming through development, and finally, execution. It's important to understand how it will be used in printing and digitally, how it's viewed both near and far or large and small. 

• Partnership & Operating Agreements - Have you decided how the partnership will operate, such as an LLC or a corporation?  How partners participate in decision-making, such as how to decide whether to hire employees, take investors, bring on new partners, etc.

• Market Research - Do you have a viable product or service for the market? Do you have a deep understanding of your competition and your goals within the market? Based on your findings, you can position yourself within the market to gain competitive advantages.

• Business Plans - The foundation of your business to evaluate how to structure, operate, and grow your new business for years to come. A necessary document to gain partners, discuss growth opportunities with investors, or even to discuss a loan with your local bank. 

• Licenses and Permits - Varies by industry, state, location, and other factors

• Marketing Plans - It's important to build a strong marketing plan to optimize the visibility of your startup business, establish a digital marketing presence through strategic positioning and to promote your business. This includes everything from developing your strategy, determining the best way to reach your target audience within the most appropriate channels, and measuring the success of your campaigns so you can learn and adjust from each one as your progress throughout the cycles of your business. 

• Funding - Determining the best option for the various stages of the business can save you from overspending over time. We can assist with deciding if it's best to raise or borrow the capital - how, why and what makes the most sense? We can assist with determining the right banking options based on your needs.

• Payment Processing - How are you handling the receipt of payments (in-person and/or online)? What system are you using and are you capitalizing on using on the features? What fees are you paying and what's too much? More information on how we can help with your payment processing an be found here.

• Finding the right location - brick-and-mortar and/or online presence - Whether you’re setting up a brick-and-mortar business or launching an online store, the choices you make could affect your taxes, legal requirements, and revenue. More information on how we can help with your real estate can be found here.

• Ecommerce & Online Presence - Often times this is an investment that should happen up front. We can guide you on what to include on your website, how to claim online public profiles, and guidance on how to build and maintain a full ecommerce site. More information on how we can help with your e-commerce needs can be found here.

• Business Structure - The legal structure you choose for your business will impact your business registration requirements, how much you pay in taxes, and your personal liability.

• Franchising - Opening a franchise is a business venture with relatively low risk and high support, but you must be aware of the regulations and factors that make a franchise successful. When you open a franchise, you get a chance to run your own business while buying an established brand and business model. More information on how we can help with your franchising needs can be found here.