University of La Verne SBDC Small Biz Blog

Are you a professional looking to start your own business but don't know how to set it up? If you are a professional like a doctor, lawyer, or accountant then you may need to form a professional corporation. In this video, I’ll explain what a professional corporation is, who needs to form a corporation, and how to set one up .  What is a Professional Corporation? So, what is a professional corporation? According to the Moscone-Knox Professional Corporation Act: "A corporation organized under the General Corporation Law or pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 13406, that is engaged in rendering professional services in a single profession, except as otherwise authorized"  CALIFORNIA CORPORATIONS CODE, §§ 13400-13410 This means anyone who is licensed under the provisions of the Business and Professions Code as a professional needs to form and operate the business as a corporation. If you are new to the business, a corporation is a separate business entity you want to lear...

If you have a passion for fixing things and enjoy working with your hands, starting a handyman business may be the perfect way to turn your skills into a profitable business. Starting a handyman business can be an excellent opportunity for those who enjoy working with their hands and want to be their own boss. With the demand for home repairs and renovations on the rise, starting a handyman business can be a lucrative venture. In this guide, we'll walk you through the essential steps to get your handyman business up and running successfully. Business Planning One of the first steps in starting a handyman business is identifying your target market and competition. Your target market includes the specific group of people or businesses you will be serving with your services. This may include homeowners, property managers, real estate agents, and small business owners. Another important step in starting a handyman business is creating a business plan and setting goals. Your goals shou...

Are you struggling to develop a successful marketing plan for your business? Creating an effective marketing strategy can seem daunting, but it doesn't have to be. By answering seven critical questions about your business, you can develop a comprehensive marketing plan that aligns with your goals and maximizes your return on investment. In this article, we'll walk you through each question and provide actionable tips and insights to help you create a marketing plan that drives results with examples. Let's get started. Check out the example here. Question #1: What is Your Business Identity? Your business identity is the unique set of characteristics that differentiate your brand from competitors and make it recognizable to customers. This includes factors such as your company's mission, values, unique selling proposition, brand name, logo, and visual identity. Consistency in these elements across all marketing channels and customer touchpoints helps reinforce your brand...

  Learn what is required to fund your small business for start-up and growth. If you are unsure of how the business loan process works or if you qualify then join us for this webinar. In this webinar you will learn about:  Lending resources SBA loan programs Qualifications and requirements SBA loan application process Do's and don't when financing your business What is a CDC? CDCs or Certified Development Companies are private, non-profit entities with a mission to provide business financing to those who aren’t quite strong enough for bank financing. CDCs are certified by the SBA (Small Business Administration) to administer SBA 504 loans, primarily for commercial real estate. There are more than 260 CDCs in the United States. SBA Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) provides the rules, processes, and guidelines an SBA Lender may, must, or should follow. The Credit Box/internal credit policy – determines the lender’s appetite for risk. i.e. minimum FICO scores, collateral requ...

If you’re planning to start a business, forming a corporation can be a great way to protect yourself from personal liability, raise funds, and manage your company more effectively. In this video, I’ll explain what a C-corporation is, how to form one, and stay to the end and learn the little-known details about corporations like issuing stock and taxes. So let’s get started! What is a Corporation? A C-corporation is a type of business structure that is considered a separate legal entity from its owners. This means that the corporation can enter into contracts, own property, and take legal action in its own name.  Advantages Some advantages of forming a C-corporation are: Limited liability protection for owners who are called shareholders and are generally not personally liable for the corporation's debts or legal liabilities.  C-corporations can raise large amounts of capital by selling stocks to investors. C-corporations can exist indefinitely, even if the owners or shareholde...

Do you have a small business website and are looking to sell a couple of products or are you looking to create a simple eCommerce website and think it takes hundreds or thousands of dollars? In this final part of my Google sites series, we will take your small business website and set up a simple eCommerce website with a cart integration and keep track of the money you make. This is part 3 of a series on building a small business website with Google sites. In part 1 , we created the site and set up our basic pages for a video marketing company. In part 2 , we upgraded the site with a professional domain name, email, booking page, and blog for our customers. In this final part, we are going to use a free app called Ecwid to create a store with some products and use a program called Wave Accounting to keep track of your finances.  Set up The first thing we need to do is to set up our store. Head to your google site backend and log in to edit your site and we are going to add a store ...

  Identify the licenses and permits you need to start your business legitimately. If you are confused about what licenses you need and where to start, then this webinar is for you.  In this webinar, we will cover:  The 6 major licenses and permits needed by most businesses  Specialty licenses used in many major industries  How the University of La Verne SBDC helps small businesses with license and permit obligations Entity Formations   Forms of Ownership LLC 6 Most Common Licenses and Permits Fictitious  Business Name Statement Federal EIN State Seller's Permit  / Resale Certificate State Tax Registration (State EIN) State Payroll Withholding (EDD) City Business License Specialty Permits Health Permits Restaurants, S pas Tattoo Food Safety Certifications Restaurants, Bakeries, Cottage Food  ABC License  (Bars, Distilleries or restaurants serving alcohol) Contractors License   (60+ specialty trades) Professional Licenses  (...

Do you have a small business google site and are looking for an upgrade? In this second part, let’s take your small business google site, give it an upgrade and make it a functional business site. In part 1 , I showed you how to use Google sites to create a simple website for your small business. In this part, I’ll show how to upgrade your site with a professional domain & email, set up an appointment calendar to schedule, and set up a blog. So, let’s get started.  Step 1: Professional Now that we have our business site set up and published, you may have noticed the web address for our website starts with sites.google.com/ with our business site name at the top of our builder page. If you want to have a professional site you want to have a professional domain that people can trust instead of some random name .  Domain name  Head to your google site and enter your google site editing screen. To add a domain, click on the gear in the top bar and move down to custom doma...