HELP started company

[lilczey]

I just started a bizznass for computer repair plus tutoring and lesions and i wanna know where would be good places to place my adds but just craigslist...

any ideas would be great!!!

plus another bizznass for landscaping and brick laying...... i got employees already had a few jobs soo far but that was thru word of mouth......

any ave to get my info out there.....

LOL PLUS

i am a comedian just started out but have to solid gigs in NY and PA soo what would be aves. for me to find more gigs???

any help would be great i am just starting out with everything soooo any advice criticism is fine too i just need help however it comes... ya all know me

 

[Mariposa]

Build a well-designed webpage and online portfolio and invest in targeted search engine advertising. Short answer.

This assumes you already have a formal business plan that you are practiced at following. If you do not have a business plan, create one. It does not have to be elaborate, but should contain what you plan to offer your customers, what you are able to pay your employees, and a percentage-based budget.

Get a good CPA if you don't have one yet. You will need to keep books and it can be burdensome in the early stages of developing a business to do it yourself. It has been my experience that a CPA with 10+ years of experience who is an ex-IRS auditor is the optimal person - though you will pay out the nose for this if you don't have a strong contact. It's worth it. To this end, don't try to do anything off the books or pay anyone under the table. It exposes you to liability that might or might not be covered by insurance if an incident occurs.

Get a referral to a good insurance agent to provide your employees with necessary worker's compensation and group health/life/dental/legal plans. ESPECIALLY your bricklayers and your landscapers as these are risky occupations.

Insure the property of your business even if you are running it out of your home. Back up all of your data frequently (especially financials). If your house gets broken into and all your shit gets ripped off, you'll still be able to reconstruct.

Forming a small business is an admirable goal - and it is something I have been wanting to really take off doing for years. It should have been last summer's project but now it's this summer's. Good luck. Having a small business that is run effectively and not incurring substantial debt are the keys to getting through this crappy economy. That and you are the best boss you will ever have.

 

[lilczey]

see thats intresting this is really gonna help thanx...

 

[Mariposa]

see thats interesting this is really gonna help thanx...

I'm in the process, too - very different type of business, but those are the things I am taking into account as necessary tasks. A business is a major investment and if you want to see the best payoff on your investment (whether it be of your time, your money, your people, or whatever) you'll have to build it yourself if you want it done your way.

Constructive criticism: your new car is awesome, part of me is jealous, but what the hell kind of insurance rates are you paying on that thing and how much did you spend on those rims? (Please don't answer) You could pay a year's worth of attorney, insurance, and CPA fees if that thing costs as much as I think it does.

It is better to play poor, seriously, especially when you're just starting out. When people know you have enough of yourself or your money invested in starting something they'll want in. And if you don't get down in the trenches and set limits at the beginning, you'll get fucked. The business world is a cold and unforgiving place, which is why you can't mix it with any fun at first.

It takes more than a dream - it takes a set of plans, the consultation of experts, and the absolute desire to succeed so that your head is set right. It takes guts and balls and the ability to see 10 steps ahead of your competitors.

It also takes a lot of luck, so I'll send you wishes for that - send 'em back.

Why have you chosen to start your own business, if I may ask?

That's all I need to say here.

 

[lilczey]

well see u kno wat i mean...thank u

[<snip> - RR]

 

[lilczey]

i do stand up on the side somone had some god i hope i get some sleep i met aster Roth got his digits

 

[Fun_gi]

I agree with Mariposa for the most part but I'll add a few items which I believe are worth considering.

First off, the most fundamental liability protection you should obtain for yourself vis-a-vis your business is a separate legal entity such as an LLC or S-Corp, which will ensure that you are not personally liable for any debts incurred by your business. After that, you will need to consider insurance, just as Mariposa said.

Assuming you've already set up your business entity and registered with the state, do begin the practice of avoiding co-mingling your business and personal funds as much as possible. Ideally you should determine a fair, market-based salary for yourself, pay yourself a wage as a business expense and that's it. If you start running a surplus you can make distributions to yourself, if the business needs additional funding, contribute more financing as you are able, but try to avoid paying for personal items with business credit cards, etc. because it makes your bookkeeping a nightmare and in extreme circumstances can form the basis for a creditor to pierce the corporate veil and attach your personal assets.

I will say that I think you may be setting yourself up to be spread too thin. Many entrepreneurs have a tough time just keeping up with one business. If there's one thing that you really love and think you can be good at, consider focusing all of your efforts and resources on building that up for now. There are a million little things you haven't thought of and you will find yourself working longer hours than you ever have in your life trying to keep up with all of them. If you're lucky and good, it'll pay off in the long run though.

I differ from Mariposa's opinion in that I would not pay a CPA to do your bookkeeping. You can hire a bookkeeper on a part-time or contract basis and keep your records on QuickBooks Online which is free to use. I would also consider outsourcing your payroll and benefits to a payroll service. You should get a CPA to help you file your taxes, though I wouldn't hold out for a fomer IRS agent as a qualification. I have heard people say that before and I agree that the logic has an intuitive appeal but I think you're probably better off with someone who spent the first 5+ years of their career in the tax department of a 'Big 4' firm and has then spent a lot of time working at a larger local firm on small companies' and individuals' returns.

When selecting your attorney(s) and your CPA, ask around, get some opinions on people, meet with a few folks, check with the state bar, the state board of accountancy and or department of licensing/professional regulation to make sure there are no red flags. Make sure they've been in business for a while, then choose someone you think you get along with that you believe will treat you fairly and has billing rates you can afford. The biggest competencies that will make your business swim or sink are yours, not your accountant's or your attorney's.

Grab a book on how to write a business plan, as Mariposa said. It's important to think everything through so that you understand the economic logic of your business. If the amount of sales you need to make to get profitable doesn't seem realistic given the cost constraints, you might need to rethink things. The businesses you've selected are all established types of businesses so there's no question that they can work, the trade-off is that you're competing against a ton of others and there's basically no barriers to entry so you'll really need to be good at what you do.

Sorry for the novel. Hope that helps.