| Make a Business Plan | | | | need to file for an assumed name, which is your |
| A business plan doesn't need to be complicated, but it | | | | business name. If you're going to sell product, you'll |
| will give you insight into what you currently need, | | | | need a sales tax certificate from your county |
| where you're going and how to get there. There are | | | | comptroller. Finally, if you're going to have employees, |
| many types of business plans and a variety of | | | | you'll need a tax ID number from the Internal Revenue |
| resources. You can hire a professional, purchase your | | | | Service. These are the basics. It's not expensive or |
| own software, or Google "business plan" for free web | | | | complicated to start a business. |
| resources. | | | | I do recommend that you think about your timing. For |
| Another advantage of a business plan is that it will help | | | | instance, if you're going to have a phone number and |
| define your target market, and save you lots of | | | | or add in the yellow pages, find out what the deadline |
| advertising dollars. If you know who you are marketing | | | | is to get that information to the phone book people; |
| to, you can tailor your marketing to that demographic. | | | | you won't want to go a whole year without a yellow |
| If you want financing for your business, you'll have to | | | | pages ad. Summers and the holidays are traditionally |
| have a business plan. A business plan for financing | | | | slow times for dog trainers, so you might not want to |
| purposes will be more in-depth and complex than a | | | | open your business in December or July. However, it |
| simple plan for your own use. | | | | really doesn't matter when you open it, as long as you |
| Start Your Business | | | | keep these types of things in mind and are not |
| Once you have a business plan in place, it's time to do | | | | surprised when your income reflects them. In some |
| the actual paperwork required to run a business. This | | | | ways, it might be good to open in the summer, and |
| varies from county-to-county, but most counties | | | | start out gradually; you'll have lots of time for |
| require a license of some kind. You'll probably also | | | | marketing, setting up systems, etc. |