University of La Verne SBDC Small Biz Blog

by Joshua Botello  A Sales Tax Permit or seller’s permit is a requirement in California for retailers if you sell a physical product in the state of California. Is that all, you say? California also requires a seller’s permit if you have inventory stored in California, have employees like independent salespeople in California, or if you have a website that sells products in California. So, now that we have that out of the way let's hop on to the computer and get into the application for filing that seller’s permit. Finding the Application Here we are on the desktop, and we are going to head to our browser and type in CDTFA.CA.GOV to get to the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. So now that we are on the home page we need to navigate to the actual application. So we head to this register button, just below the header and click register. Now we have to go down about halfway down the page to “Register or Apply for a New..” and then Click business activity or lo

Photo by   Álvaro Serrano   on   Unsplash by Joshua Botello On March 19, 2020, the State of California issued a Stay At Home order for all residents and businesses (deemed nonessential) to close and minimize the spread of COVID-19. After approximately 7 weeks the order went into effect -- at the time of writing this article -- many businesses and workers have felt the stress of paying bills, protecting their families and livelihoods. Getting Back to Work Now that the end is in sight and a plan to open up the economy is nearly formed, many businesses will need to be “phased in” to opening back up. However, the riskier “hands-on” vocations will be scrutinized to maintain the safety of patrons and workers alike.  The question is: how can business owners ensure the safety of customers and workers while balancing a healthy financial recovery? Here are some ideas of what that might look like. Social Distancing Business owners will primarily need to protect their customers

by Joshua Botello If you own business and file taxes for yourself or employees, applying for an Employer Identification Number or EIN is required. The EIN is a 9 digit code that is assigned to your business and is used as your file your business taxes and employees file their personal taxes to track their wages. Luckily, this is super easy and free to apply for EIN with the IRS. Check out the full video on YouTube ! Funded in part through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. All opinions, conclusions, and/or recommendations expressed herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the SBA.

By Joshua Botello Since the advent of the internet and its progression to mass delivery of takeout orders, restaurants and diners have had the opportunity to invest in technology to reach a larger section of customers. Since the coronavirus pandemic started, many business owners have been tested to embrace technology or ignore it. The challenge will be how many businesses will use technology to survive in the age of COVID-19 and beyond. So, here is a list of tips to get your business to “go digital” and live to open another day.  But first...Why is “Going Digital” important? Going digital as a restaurant may sound like an absurd proposition. Besides, many new restaurant owners start their establishments for the ambiance and service for customers.  78% of Millenials  focus more on service and experience than actual food quality. In 2017,  58% of customers  considered delicious food when choosing a restaurant. So what do you do? Customers are still looking for delicious food eve

by Sean Snider Building a website can sometimes feel daunting, but trust me it’s not hard at all. Nowadays building a website is really easy – even for those who aren't "Tech Savvy". And even if you don't plan to build the website yourself and hire it out this blog post will help. DIY vs Hire-it-Out First off, you need to have a heart-to-heart with yourself and decide if you are going to do this yourself or if this is something you are just going to hire out. I tell clients to consider three things to help make this decision. Do you have the Time? Do you have the Talent? Do you have the Treasure? ($$$) If you have the desire to learn how to build a website and you have the time then you can certainly save some of your treasure to do this yourself versus hiring it out. If you plan to hire it out – don’t fret. There are a lot of resources for you to help build a website inexpensively. Check out the e-lance resources below. "E-lance" is jus

By Joshua Botello Managing your business daily is stressful enough, not to mention in the midst of a crisis. Whether it be a Category 5 hurricane, 8.0 magnitude earthquake, or your office flooding because of a faulty toilet, but what do you do in the midst of a disaster? The answer to that question will determine whether your business sinks or gives you a fighting chance.  The key is preparation. Having an existing plan in place before disaster strikes can make all the difference. But what exactly are you supposed to be prepared for? Here are some tips and scenarios to avoid certain disasters. Photo by  Helloquence  on  Unsplash Know and Review Your Insurance Business insurance is a necessity. Policies for natural disasters like a brush fire, flood, and earthquakes (like California) will require you to weigh your options. Consider the likelihood of an event and whether you can stand to do business if your physical location is compromised. Here is a vital insuran

By Joshua Botello Getting into the foray of Facebook marketing is every aspiration of the new business owner. They jump into facebook to access those 1 billion users, only to find out it's harder than it looks and nothing they do works like what they have heard about. Using Facebook for marketing is all about strategy and using it as a tool requires some planning and business knowledge to be successful. Here are 4 easy strategies to get started on your Facebook marketing journey.  But first... There are 3 requirements you must have before you start marketing your business on Facebook: You have to know your customer. Knowing your customers will let you know what they want and what they are looking for. You have to know the funnel. Knowing what customers are looking for and knowing that at each stage of the buying process will inform you of the content you will make and how you can get them to buy. You need a business page. You really do. You can advertise, get analytic