Small Business Library

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You don't have an BA, MBA. PhD or most likely never taken any business law classes. Even if you went to college you probably spent those years studying italian literature and basket weaving, and periodically dropping out to travel or save the world. And now you find yourself thinking about going into business for yourself - perhaps running a coffee shop, a restaurant, an internet business or even buying a franchise. But, you find yourself trudging to work each day, and as the minutes tick off you find yourself dreaming more and more about telling your boss where to shove it. You've made lots of notes, worked out some kinks in your plan, got some money and now wonder... "will it fly"?

Sadly, most people who have flirted with a business idea never get to find out whether it would have worked or not. For a variety of practical, financial, and psychological reasons, most "would-be entrepreneurs" just don't take that leap from idea to reality. We think this is a shame, since there's nothing complex or difficult about turning a business idea into an actual working business. Most prospective entrepreneurs would be surprised and encouraged to know that they can get from "the thinking about it" part to "now I are one" by merely completing a short list of bureaucratic tasks. Hopefully, our site will explain what those tasks are and how we can help you complete them.

We won't bore you further with all the questions and details that are running rampant in your mind...you already know that getting a business off the ground isn't easy. But compared to working out the details on how your business will run and will it become successful, doing the bureaucratic steps isn't a big deal at all...which is where we come in.

Dealing with the legal start-up requirements has been done millions of times by all types of different businesses. While the governmental regulations governing small business often seems like a convoluted maze, you can take comfort in the fact that the procedures are standard from state to state and conquering the bureaucracy is essentially a nobrainer. Although it requires some patience, you don't need any special skills, education, or experience. As long as you arm yourself with an overview of the process (as you're doing by viewing our site), you'll be able to meet all the small business registration requirements without ever breathing hard.

While there is no one exact legal structure that's best for all small businesses. From starting a sole proprietorship (legal term for a one-owner business) or a partnership ( more than owner) to business owners who want protection from personal liability for business debts (referred as "limited liability" - the simplest corporations or limited liability companies (LLCs)...all only require only a couple more registration tasks.

Bottom line, once you've got your business idea developed to a certain degree, all you need to do is decide the best business format, then we fill out some forms, pay some fees - and suddenly your idea will have become an actual, legitimate business.

Whether you're better off starting as a sole proprietor or choosing one of the more complicated organizational structures such as a partnership, corporation or Limited Liability Company (LLC) usually depends on several factors, including the size and profitability of your business, how many people will own it and whether it will entail liability risks not covered by insurance.

Unlike other small business resource guides, we won't waste time quizzing you on whether you have the right personality to be your own boss or evaluating your business idea. If you are still in that stage, our site may be premature. On the other hand, if you want a systematical explanation what you need to do to launch a business, this site is for you.

So, let's get to it! What is going to be the name of this new enterprise? Stumped? Well, this is most probably one of the most important places to start. Even if you already have decided on a name, we recommend you start here and review this topic. This will be one of the most valuable assets you will own.