I can officially say I own my own business. Can you? I am going to be honest, I dreaded this big step for a while and thus had difficulty getting clients. I didn't value my business, so how could it grow?
It was a little bit tougher of a process than I initially expected but I got it all done in one day, so really, I had nothing to complain about. If you ever decide to start your own business, just be patient and read up on anything you might not be familiar with. Consulting with a professional is always a good idea, too.
*Disclaimer: I am not a legal or business expert, when in doubt, consult a professional in the field.*
Steps I took to make my business legit:
1. Decide what type of business I want to set up - Sole Proprietor, LLC, Corporation, etc.
2. Get a Federal EIN - one of the simplest steps, though the scariest.
3. Register my Fictitious Name - I had done this a while back to reserve the name and just updated the address to my new residence.
4. Got a Business License - this one was tough and required a bit of digging. Google can be your best friend here but your Secretary of State's website should contain a lot of the info you need.
Next on the list:
5. Get a business checking account - I unfortunately can't do this one online but you might!
6. Get file folders and set up the office - organization is key!!!
7. Book more photo shoots!
8. Keep thinking about Tax Season - it's never too early.
It was important to me to get everything set up before I started my photography business. I don't know abou you, but I'd hate to have a run in with the law. The peace of mind is worth all the trouble and really, it wasn't all that bad. I also felt pretty bad ass after it was all said and done!
Do you own your own business? Was it a tough process to go through?
Congratulations Janneke! That is a big step forward. I would support you by booking a photo shoot but I guess it would be a bit too expencive ;)
ReplyDeleteI am not an expert either, but yes I am one of the owners of a family business back in Finland. We are mainly focusing on construction, renovating houses and building saunas etc, but also have a branch for webdesign and communication services. I work time to time for the company too, it's just a hassle sometimes with the 2 countries, 2 salaries and most of all - taxation! :)