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...

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...

  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  (...

Find out everything you need to start your small business so you can launch your business with confidence. Learn all the steps you need to take to start a business: from developing your plan to market research to filing your licenses in this simple step-by-step webinar, including: Business Planning Business planning resources Get the business plan template (Business Plan Outline)   Financial Projections Training  - Template Marketing Strategies NAICS Code Lookup   LA County Library / Reference USA LA County Demographics Licensing and Permits   Franchise Tax Board - Forms of Ownership LLCs & Corporations Name Search Los Angeles County Name Search for FBN (Sole Proprietorships) San Bernardino County Name Search for FBN (Sole Proprietorships)  Domain Name Search    Licenses & permits lookup Record-Keeping Record Keeping Systems    LA County Library / Lynda.com / LinkedIn Learning Outsourced accounting  ( https://bench.co/ )...

  In this webinar, we will be covering the common forms of ownership for small businesses and their filing requirements: Sole proprietorships General partnerships Limited Liability Company Corporations Our Guest Speaker, Lucius C. Davis III is the Small Business Liaison in the Taxpayers’ Rights Advocate’s Office. He assists with the development of small business education and outreach programs in order to help business owners better understand their income tax requirements and responsibilities. He also provides information about the Franchise Tax Board’s (FTB) programs and services that are available to them. Prior to becoming the Small Business Liaison, Lucius worked in Collections and in Filing in the Business Entities Section as an analyst at FTB. In the private sector, Lucius owned a small business for 10+ years. Prior to that, he played professional basketball overseas for 13 years. The Forms of Ownership presentation is a discussion of the most common forms of business owners...

By Joshua Botello If you are looking to take content like a blog, youtube channel, or a news company to the next level and turn it into a full-fledged business, there are some specific things you need to take care of. Many content creators start as a hobby but have no idea what it takes to turn their passion into a legitimate business. In this start-up guide, I will show the 5 steps to get your media business started and what you need to know to operate as a legitimate business. So let’s get started. Business Concept The very first step is to come up with a business concept. Many of you watching will already have this down if you have an existing blog or youtube channel. Beyond your concept, you may need to research if this is a sustainable topic that will last or if it’s just a fad. You also want to make sure the content you create is fresh and not being talked about in a saturated space that will increase your competition and make it harder for you to make money once you monetize you...

by Joshua Botello Starting your barbershop or salon seems like an easy proposition, especially if you've been in the industry for a few years. The barber and beauty industry is fairly regulated here in California and there are a bunch of hoops that you'll have to jump through to make your dream happen. In this guide, I'll give you a 5 step guide on how to start your barbershop or beauty salon. So let’s go... Business Concept The first thing you're going to need to figure out is what kind of services you're going to offer. Are you going to be offering straight haircuts or are there other services such as shaving or color that customers are going to want? You also have to determine whether or not you're going to be selling products such as hair care products or beard care in your location. When it comes to customers you'll have to decide if you're going to serve strictly men or women or a mix of both. Each type of customer will have their own set of nee...

by Joshua Botello Many of our small business owners get intimidated when they are looking to open their business because of the paperwork and cost involved in getting started. In this video, I show you 4 tactics to start your small business for next to nothing so you can get started faster and cheaper. START HOME-BASED SERVICE BUSINESS First, you need to think about what kind of small business you want to start. If you are looking to spend the least amount of money then you want to see about doing a home-based service business. Unlike product or retail businesses, you don't need to buy a minimum amount of inventory and keep it in your garage. This could save you several hundred dollars in inventory costs. All you really need is a computer to do your work or proposals and a cellphone to take calls and make appointments. You can be a blogger, consultant, or photographer and start with no money you have to invest providing you already have the equipment to start. DO BUSINESS IN YOUR O...

by Joshua Botello Getting an Alcohol Beverage Control license gives an establishment like a restaurant or bar the ability to serve alcohol to customers. Many new business owners may find this process confusing or never apply for the license because it is so daunting. In this video, I’ll explain what the ABC license is, walk you through the process and stay to the end for help with the application. What is an Alcohol Beverage Control License? The first thing you need to understand is what is an Alcohol Beverage Control license is. The license allows you to sell alcohol from your establishment legally. There are different categories of licenses but are in 2 general groups: On-Sale or Off-sale and the type of alcohol.  On-Sale refers to alcoholic beverages that are purchased and consumed on-premises like a Bar and Off-sale is where beverages are prepackaged and not available for consumption on-premises like a convenience store. Each category defines whether or not minors are allowed ...