This is an excellent post. For all those here I’ve been looking for a “how to” on starting a business. Not the marketing plan, sales, production, get a bank account stuff etc stuff...have plenty of that and know what to do.
I’m looking for the: here is how to apply for a biz license, here are the permits for different bizs required, here are the licenses needed, here are the forms to fill out, heres what you need to do for different IPs, trademarks, copyrights, etc.
Mostly the govt (fed, state, local) stuff needed so I can do it the right way and hopefully protect it. More of a how to instead of an overview on the practical stuff - a checklist if you will.
Anyone know a good book or course along those lines? Even the college courses on business don’t give you this stuff and it’s what you really have to do.
Then you are going to have to talk to the local boys at city hall.
Good luck!
Best way to get that information is from somebody who has done it in your area. Start frequenting local businesses, preferably ones you won’t be competing with but have similar business requirements, get friendly with the staff, get friendly with the owners, and ask them. Because these things vary from state to state, and city to city, and even neighborhood to neighborhood (zoning regulations, age of plumbing, electrical grid strength, all of these can vary drastically in just a couple of blocks) the only people that can tell you how to do what you want to do where you want to do it is people who have.
When I was opening Coco’s Tea and Chocolates I went to the local Chamber of Commerce for such information and it was disappointing. We’re across the river from Georgia and the Alabama-side Chamber had check-lists for opening a biz in Columbus, GA.
One of my biggest mistakes was going to my bank for credit card processing and a VeriFone swipe machine. I should have gone to Sams that offers those services without a contract.
The bank has been a bait and switch rip off.