I'm thinking of starting my own Painting and Decorating business how do i go about it?

Answer 1

Associations may be a good avenue to explore. These organizations will address many of the thoughts, questions and concerns you'll inevitably have as well as many you haven't anticipated yet. See the source box for some relevant links.

Research, research, research – this cannot be stressed enough. Read as much as you can about the industry. Here are some book titles that are relevant:

* Start Your Own Interior Design Business and Keep It Growing!: Your Guide to Business Success : Touch of Design by Linda M. Ramsay
* FabJob Guide to Become an Interior Decorator (FabJob Guides) by Tag Goulet, Catherine Goulet
* The Interior Design Business Handbook: A Complete Guide to Profitability by Mary V. Knackstedt

There are plenty of free informational resources out there. Check the source box for links to articles.

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

Answer 2

I would recommend forming an LLC because it offers liability protection compared to being a sole proprietor. That means if you ever get sued they can only go after the company assets compared to your personal assets if you're a SP.

Your states treasury department should have a website form to fill out to form an LLC and the cost should be around $120 except in California where they rip you off for like $800. There are also some web companies that will do it for an extra charge but it's really pretty easy. All you need is a business name that isn't being used in your state and then you decide on "officers" (which would most likely be yourself), address, phone and maybe a few other fields and that's it.

I filed mine in Wisconsin and they e-mailed my Articles of Incorporation in 2 days. Then I went to the IRS website and filed for an EIN. With an EIN I then was able to open a business checking account.

Once you have your articles of incorporation and EIN you can start applying for credit. The link I posted below has some really good threads on both business credit and general small business issues.