Matrix

The type of business I am refering to is like opening up your own storage unit or your own convenient store. How do you do it? What kind of assets do you need to start? Who are the best people to talk to?

you might think about buying a franchise which will cost you depending on the type of business, but anywhere from $2,000 to $25,000+ to begin

if you want to start your own business, decide what you would best like to do in life, something that will make you happy and feel like you "get to do" instead of you "have to do".

the best person to talk to would be a lawyer, because he/she will give you a good idea of what you need to do and what it will cost.

here is a list of the top, low-cost franchises:
(also www.entrepreneur.com is a great source)

http://entrepreneur.com/franchises/rankings/low-costfranchises-115390/2007,-1.html

My wife is starting an onsite photography business. We know we need a business license, but what else. I want to help her as much as possible but I dont know enough about the photography world. Do we need insurance? Does anyone know of a good website that has information on starting a photography business. They are so much different than any other kind of business out there. Thank you for anything you can help with.

A few things to consider:
Business insurance – yes, look into it. Call your insurance rep and get quotes for your equipment, see what else is available.

Equipment – do some practice runs, maybe with neighbors or whatever and make sure you’re ready! Do the FULL flow, from talking on the phone, meeting up to show portfolio, taking pictures onsite, processing photos, handing off to clients for review, modifying if necessary, and ordering prints (if that’s what you offer). You could do it with ordering a few 4"x6"s if you don’t want to spend a lot. Trust me, you’ll be better off if you do this excersize. This will also tell you if you need additional equipment and supplies. For example, I was on a job 600 miles away and suddenly realized that people were tripping on my sync cords and I had no tape. D’oh! Lesson learned!

On that note, make sure you have a nice portfolio to show off, both hard copy and online. Do you have a website? You’ll need a nice one.
Do you have a marketing plan? Consider who your clients will be, HS Seniors, Brides, family, etc. If your answer is "everything" then break it up into sections and build a business model for each section.

Can I have my own business or will it need to be under my parents name?
My cousin and I want to start an online business (both 16 years old). How do we start business? Is it a Partnership? Under who’s names? What do we need to file?

Hi Lucilles, for accounting purposes, register a business. In your country there should be a registrar of businesses. If the law allows registration of a business at 16, then go ahead and do it. In my country, the minimum age to be a sole proprietor is 21.

You can register a partnership if you and your cousin are on good terms. However, I caution you that money issues can stress relationships. So if you do register a partnership, make sure you also have a dissolution agreement.

More important than your business structure is your business idea and its marketing. I suggest you and your cousin could start with a Blog Shop. This is a popular way to get free traffic to build an online business. You can start with registering at http://www.blogger.com and if you are ready for something more advanced, use Wordpress: http://www.wordpress.org

I’m curious if i can roll my 401k without penelties if i use it as an investment into a new startup business.

Don’t do it. Whether you can or not is irrelevent, but you should not touch your retirement money. Most new businesses fail, and it would be tough to replace that money.

In legal terms though, yes, you would be penalized for taking the money out early.

I need info on how to start business.

so much on the internet is inaccurate and quite possibly a scam. if you know what you want to do, go to your local library and do some research. also, go to your local govt. offices and BBB, as they will have info on how to start a small business in the area where you live.

I know that many people come to the U S and get grants to start business, how do they do that, where do I need to go? Any advice would be nice. Thanks!

No lender will talk to you unless you provide them with a valid business plan. Go to http://www.sba.gov , http://www.score.org or http://www.bplan.com for sample business plans and instructions on how to write a business plan.

Then, go to http://www.score.org/ and in the upper left hand corner, enter your zip code. On the next screen, you will get information on the nearest SCORE chapter. Call them and arrange for a free meeting with a SCORE counselor to review your business plan and discuss various loan options available to you.

SCORE is a nonprofit association dedicated to entrepreneur education and the formation, growth and success of small business nationwide. SCORE is a resource partner with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).

SCORE has 389 chapters in locations throughout the United States and its territories, with 10,500 volunteers nationwide. Both working and retired executives and business owners donate time and expertise as business counselors.

Any advice on how to write a business plan for being a promoter of communication trainings to companies. In other words, I would be recruiting businesses companies, and promoting and setting up communication trainings. I appreciate any advice.

Go to http://www.sba.gov , http://www.score.org or http://www.bplan.com for instructions on how to write a business plan and sample business plans.

I want to establish a cleaning business where we provide mobile steam cleaning services at the customers location. I have no funds but what I will do is get the contracts in hand first and get a down payment against the services before its rendered, to finance my start-up. Will the strategy work?

Sounds good. You can also look into a making a business plan, and applying for financing(loan) from a financial institution.

For a business plan there is a very good interactive website that might help get the plan done step-by-step, its absolutely free, and gives samples as well.
Its a service provided by the Canadian Business Service Center

www.cbsc.org/ibp

Best of Luck – Buena Suerte

I am currently an event coordinator for a company and would like to stary my own party planning business. Does anyone have any tips on how to start? How to Market and how are the fees charged?

Thats a good business since a lot of people especially working and busy moms would love the stress taken off them.
However, the first thing you need to consider is how to charge. Do you charge per hour or per event.
This is would be determined by first estimating the amount and cost of party supplies you would need. Next you would need to search party rental halls in your area and how much they charge. A little bit of good relationship with the owners of these halls could mean some discount for you.
Advertising your business should be online and offline. Use business cards, flyers, word of mouth, hire high school kids to distribute your flyers, advertse in classified ads and get a college student to build you a website, this would give you a professional image and the credibility you need to jump start your business
You should be sure to love parties as I always recommend working a business you love. You can also organize some parties for yourself or your friends and get feed back on how well planned the parties were. also visit www.birthdayexpress.com for more ideas.
Hope this help.
http://www.workathomechronicle.com

What is needed to start your own business? Do you need to have a license? What prices are appropriate? Any information is appreciated.

There are no federal license requirements to Open a Dog Daycare. There are however, numerous county and city ordinances, and local governments that do require a dog daycare facility to be licensed. In most cases the license requirements and application are the same as those of a boarding kennel and will require inspections from the health department and local officials on an annual basis. This is to insure that proper sanitation methods are followed so as to eliminate the possibility of spreading infectious diseases from animal to animal. They will also check your records to insure that you maintain up to date vaccination records for the animals participating in services at your facility. The kennel industry can also face inspections by the local health department to check your handling and disposal of solid waste.

Some States require approval by the state board of agriculture as an animal boarding facility and some do not, this is very much a regional issue.

You are going to have to contact your local county or city administration office and review the city and county ordinances specific to your location to determine exactly what the license requirements for a Dog Daycare facility are in your specific area. If you plan on boarding animals overnight then in 90% of the counties and cities you will need to obtain a kennel license. Those that choose to offer grooming services may need to obtain approval by not only your local government but from the state environmental protection agency as well. This is due to the fact that flea and tick shampoos contain pesticides and require specialized disposal procedures as well as specialized plumbing equipment to prevent backwards suction of hazardous chemicals into the city potable water supply.

Your gonna need dog toys, beds, a yard to play in, experience with dogs. (Maybe take a dog training course) Food, treats.

There are books and DVDs that you are able to buy/download with information on how to start a business in dog care. http://www.fabjob.com/DogDaycare.asp

You can also contact a local day care provider and see if they are willing to talk to you about the business, (some people may not talk because its competition).

My dog day care charged me $15 for half day, $20 for full day. Some people charge $30 or a little more. It depends on your location, the demand for a doggy daycare, and the size of the day care and how many dogs you can take in.

This site is the only site I could find that explains it more, without asking to buy their book.

http://www.pawsdogdaycare.com/Start-Up-Services/How-to-Start-a-Dog-Daycare-Manual-Intro.htm