ForumsStarting a Business

I want my own business, Welcome

The best place to start is to visit SCORE. SCORE is FREE and can help you start.

Also go to Members page and share some info.

Bring your Business Plan up to date.

Good luck

I come from China. I am looking for partner who would like to do business in China.

Hi diapastry,

I am always thrilled whenever I hear people say they want to start a business. I think it's always a challenge to do your own thing but at the same time, a very rewarding experience. Personally, if you want to start a pastry shop, by all means do it. If you are unsure where to start, I would suggest you get acclimated with the industry. Attend some trade shows and meet with suppliers and learn about the industry from a business standpoint (costs for display cases, cooking utensils, machines, raw materials, etc). Next, I would survey the neighborhood where you want to set up shop. Are there any competing pastry shops? If there are, how's the foot traffic for these shops? Are their prices for the pastries high/low? Know what the rent is like in the area so you can guage what you can/can't afford. Know how much you can realistically make a year and project that 3-5 years out. Once you understand these issues, you should be able to update your business plan. Yes, banks are much stricter with credit but they still need to make business. If your business plan is sound and feasible, your credit is great and you have collateral (ie. house) then I'm sure you can get a loan. But before thinking about getting a loan, see if you have family and relatives willing to invest. Best of luck to you!

Hi diapastry,

Congratulations! Most people who want to start a business, never get the chance to do so. At least you have taken the first step in posting on this business forum.

For starters, you definitely want to learn as much as you can about your industry. Also try to see if you can locate similar shops and meet and interview the owners to gain insight. You also want to begin to learn as much as you can about starting, growing and developing your business. Begin attending business workshops in your area. You can also find a wealth of resources at www.score.org and www.sba.gov. You'll find all sorts of online training and webinars that can teach you so much about marketing your business and writing a business plan, financing and so much more. You also want to save as much money as you can or start jotting down your ideas on how you plan to obtain financing for your business venture. Depending on where you live, also try reaching out to your chamber of commerce and your city's economic office. The IRS' website can also provide you valuable information concerning your business taxes. There's a whole entire page dedicated to Self Employoed Individuals and the Small Business Community. Best of luck to you.

--
Ktasha, your personal tax partner
www.hardgeconnections.com

One idea is that you would need a well rounded Point of Sale System to help with inventory, accounts receivable, ordering, etc.
Go to our website and check us out and let us know if we can help.

www.transactpos.com