I'm starting a t-shirt design company, and need to know what forms I need in the state of Texas?

Question

I know I'll have to fill out a tax ID form, but do I need to copyright my name and designs? How should I start? Should I get a business consultant and CPA or just wing it on my own?

Answer 1

Here are some resources to guide you in starting a business in Texas

Guide to Starting a Business in Texas - Permits and Licenses http://www.tded.state.tx.us/guide/
Business Startup Information (has links to IRS for tax number to links to the Texas office of SCORE where you can get free advice) http://www.sos.state.tx.us/corp/related.shtml

When thinking of names, remember that you can have different company name and brand name. Your company name may be ABC TSHIRT DESIGNS while your tshirt line may be called GHETTO LOOK or something.

You will register your company name with your county, but you will need to check the brand names you are planning to use with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). You don't want to be sued for using a brand name that another company is already using. You can do your own search using the USPTO Trademark Electronic Search System(Tess) http://tess2.uspto.gov/bin/gate.exe?f=tess&state=8ecsul.1.1 or you can hire a lawyer to help you do the search. Lawyers will typically cost $850 upwards to do trademark searches plus filing fees -- and can be more depending on where you live. If you do this yourself (and you can do it yourself), the fees range from $325 to $375 depending on whether you will submit a paper application or electronic application http://www.uspto.gov/web/trademarks/notices/tmfeechange.htm

There are advantages to using consultants and CPA, one of which is hiring them allows you to focus on your business - creating tshirts - rather than take care of things such as bookkeeping and others. It will all depend on the availability of your resources - if money is tight, then you can do everything yourself but if you have resources to do it, you can go ahead and hire professionals.

I suggest you read the following books to help you learn more about the business:

- The Official Step-by-Step Guide to Starting a Clothing Line by Jay Arrington, Marc D. Baldwin
- The Business of Fashion: Designing, Manufacturing, and Marketing by Leslie Davis Burns
- Apparel Product Development (2nd Edition) by Maurice J. Johnson
- The Fashion Designer Survival Guide: An Insider's Look at Starting and Running Your Own Fashion Business by Mary Gehlhar
- Fashion for Profit (Revised Edition with Retail Chapter) by Frances Harder
- Fashion: From Concept to Consumer (8th Edition) by Gini Stephens Frings

Answer 2

You've got two different issues here; let's tackle them one at a time.

RE: Starting a Business in Texas

The best routes to take are to research the process of starting a business as well as the industry you're interested in.

I posted links for you in the source box pertaining to starting a business in Texas.

Research, research, research – this cannot be stressed enough. Read as much as you can. Here's a relevant book title:

* How to Start a Business in Texas: With Forms by William R. Brown and Mark Warda

RE: Protecting your Name and Logo

You wouldn't copyright it. To protect a business name or logo within your industry, you would apply for a trademark.

To register a trademark, contact either your Secretary of State for a State trademark or the US Patent & Trademark Office for a Federal trademark.

If you are only conducting business in one state, then a State trademark is most appropriate. If you conduct business in at least 2 states OR between the US & any other country, you can file for a Federal trademark.

Prior to investing your time, money & effort into a name, it is strongly advised that comprehensive research be conducted to ensure that the name you're interested in is truly available.

This entails searching the pending & registered Federal and State trademark files as well as the US National Common-Law files. Then, if clear, you can decide if you would like to file for a Federal or a State trademark.

Hope that helps! I wish you much success & happiness in all your ventures!

Answer 3

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