Before opening your own business. Did you take any business courses? I haven't got the slightest clue what it would take to open and run my own business and I just would like to be prepared when the time comes.

1. Look for any small business incubators located in your area for workshops related to business. State universities that offer business developement.
Community colleges offer courese but look for free or small charge fee until you find what applies to you.
2. Contact your county or city- what licenses you will need.

3. Contact your healt department for specific safety and sanitation requirements.

4.Department of taxation for sales and use tax in your state. Federal tax ID number-government.

5. Small Business Administration
6. SCORE
7.Women in Business

Piack a name for your business
Print business cards
Business stationary
Press statement for when you open

I got started with my Dad at 9 years old- I will be 48 years old on my next birthday-he taught me how to bake and decorate cakes. I also took every class WILTON taught, I was blessed to have the opportunity to go to culinary school and graduated in 2003 and then went to school for my Business Adminstration degree.
I SAY GO FOR IT!!!!

You can also check with local economic development agencies to see if they offer any courses on starting your own business. I went to one of these. It was 16 weeks long, one night per week. I got so much information on local issues regarding opening small businesses here, and it only cost me $70. The same course at the community college is over $1000.

Theresa

1. Look for any small business incubators located in your area for workshops related to business. State universities that offer business developement.
Community colleges offer courese but look for free or small charge fee until you find what applies to you.
2. Contact your county or city- what licenses you will need.

3. Contact your healt department for specific safety and sanitation requirements.

4.Department of taxation for sales and use tax in your state. Federal tax ID number-government.

5. Small Business Administration
6. SCORE
7.Women in Business

Piack a name for your business
Print business cards
Business stationary
Press statement for when you open

I got started with my Dad at 9 years old- I will be 48 years old on my next birthday-he taught me how to bake and decorate cakes. I also took every class WILTON taught, I was blessed to have the opportunity to go to culinary school and graduated in 2003 and then went to school for my Business Adminstration degree.
I SAY GO FOR IT!!!!

1. Look for any small business incubators located in your area for workshops related to business. State universities that offer business developement.
Community colleges offer courese but look for free or small charge fee until you find what applies to you.
2. Contact your county or city- what licenses you will need.

3. Contact your healt department for specific safety and sanitation requirements.

4.Department of taxation for sales and use tax in your state. Federal tax ID number-government.

5. Small Business Administration
6. SCORE
7.Women in Business

Piack a name for your business
Print business cards
Business stationary
Press statement for when you open

I got started with my Dad at 9 years old- I will be 48 years old on my next birthday-he taught me how to bake and decorate cakes. I also took every class WILTON taught, I was blessed to have the opportunity to go to culinary school and graduated in 2003 and then went to school for my Business Adminstration degree.
I SAY GO FOR IT!!!!

I would recommend finding a workshop or class on something like "Quicken" software, business plan writing, accounting/bookkeeping, and marketing. Those are the things I've found most helpful. Even if you plan to hire out your accounting, you should have a basic understanding so that you can have intelligent conversations with your accountant and interpret the financial information they give you.

After that, join your local Chamber of Commerce and network like crazy. Skills that you need will be easily found amongst these people, and they can help you a lot.

I checked a book out of the library called Small Time Operator that I found very helpful & easy to understand.

Also, call on friends and family who might be able to help & offer free advice...I have a friend who's a bookkeeper, another who's a lawyer, and my mom works for a CPA firm, so I talked to a guy there.

Also found out that my local Technical college has a small buisness center that offers free buisness counseling. And, my local chamber of commerce was very helpful. Best of all - none of these things cost me a dime.

Good luck...you can do it!

Thanks so much for everyone's advice. It'll all be very helpful. I'm still quite a ways away from even opening a business (and I need way more practice even doing cakes) but I'd like to be ready whenever the time comes and I'd rather take the necessary steps now than wait 'til I am ready to figure it all out.