Business Loan

Starting a home based business is on the mind of millions. Working for yourself rather than making money for the other guy is the American dream. Before starting a home based business, there some basics you need to consider.

1. Zoning: You need to contact your county zoning department. If your area is zoned for home based business use then you are in the clear. If not, you may have a tough road ahead. You would have to petition to the board of your zoning county to have your area rezoned. This is easier said than done. Not only would you have to prepare an excellent business plan, but you would also have to prove that the increased traffic would not pose a problem to your neighbors.

2. License: If you are selling products for profit you will need to apply for a seller's permit through your state's department of revenue. There is usually a small fee to apply, and each year or every two years you will be required to pay a renewal fee. Also, you may need other licenses pertaining to what kind of business you are starting. For example, if you are starting a live bait store, you would need a permit from your department of natural resources to have live bait on hand. Check into these license carefully. Checking into a tax id number is also highly recommended and easy to do. You can go right to the IRS web site and apply online.

3. Wholesalers and Inventory: If you plan to resell products, you will want to consider finding wholesalers within your state. The shipping alone will cut into your profits a great deal if you are shipping from far away places. You can do a google search on your specific product and see what you come up with. If there are no wholesalers within your state, be careful with choosing one online. Be sure to fully investigate them before giving up your money. Small businesses have a hard enough time turning a profit without paying for information that will do your business no good. Also, there are many scam wholesaler lists found on the Internet, these are usually outdated and simply consist of telephone book entries. Never pay for a list. Visit various forums and informational sites to find reputable wholesalers.

4. Advertising: There are several ways to advertise your new business, setting up a web site, advertising in your local newspapers, contacting your area Chamber Of Commerce are all ways to get your businesses noticed and out there.

These are just the basics of starting a home based business. There are so many more important points to get yourself going and noticed. We wish you the best of luck with your adventure. Remember, starting a home based business is the American dream, and is well worth the effort to start it right.