Washington Business Startup Guides
Opening a Business in Shoreline, Washington
Contemplating starting a business in Shoreline, Washington? We walk you through the process of opening a business in Shoreline.
Forming a Company in Shoreline, Washington
A critical step is ensuring that your business is formed as a legal entity that is separate from its owners. Doing so will shield you from personal liability for business debts and obligations.
When forming a company, you will pick from many company types, such as a corporation, LLC, sole proprietorship, partnership or other structure.
Incorporating is a very common way to legally create a business entity. A key decision is whether to form and S-Corp or a C-Corp, and you also must decide in which state you will incorporate. If you are starting a business in Washington, it doesn't mean you are required to incorporate in Washington. In fact, you are allowed to incorporate in the state of your choosing. For example, it's very popular to incorporate in Delaware, and incorporating in Nevada has become very trendy as well. Don't forget, though, that you will have to register as a foreign entity in all states that you do business in.
There are many nuances to forming a company. To learn the basics of company formation, browse articles on our site, such as C Corp Versus S Corp. You may also want to seek the advice of an attorney. On a final note, since you will be starting a business in Shoreline, Washington, our web page covering Incorporating in Washington may be a useful resource if you decide to incorporate in Washington.
The Role of the Business Plan
Having a business plan is essential to the health of your new business. In effect, your business plan is your game plan for how you hope to grow your business. Failure to write a business plan makes you more prone to becoming a business failure statistic.
If you want more information on writing business plans, we recommend reading Free Business Plan Templates. You should also take advantage of free business counselors available to you through your local SCORE chapter in Washington.
Startup Financing Basics
Obtaining startup financing for your Shoreline business requires strong organization skills and perseverance. The reality is that there is very little funding available for new small businesses, and you have to explore every possible alternative.
The good news is this site contains dozens of articles on raising money, including one we recommend entitled Business Cash Advances.
For Shoreline entrepreneurs who need startup capital, check out our List of Washington Angel Investors and our List of Washington Venture Capital Firms.
Promoting Your New Company
To grow your Shoreline business, you need a great marketing plan.
We have some excellent resources on this site for entrepreneurs who are working on marketing plans. How to Market to Accountants and CPAs is an article that will stimulate a few thoughts on your marketing plan. That's just one of the many useful articles we have on Marketing a Small Business.
Advancing Your Entrepreneurial Skills
The best business owners recognize that they don't know everything.
Given that you are starting a business in Shoreline, Washington, you should get information on some of the many programs available at nearby Washington universities, colleges and community colleges. Another way to keep up on your entrepreneurial education is to investigate networking organizations for Shoreline entrepreneurs.
Never Give Up
As an entrepreneur in Shoreline, you won't be working for the boss anymore. You are the boss.
From this point on, you control your own destiny.
Our goal here is to promote the vitality and growth of small businesses in Shoreline and throughout the United States . We believe entrepreneurship is an amazing engine for job creation in Shoreline, neighborhood development and overall economic health.
More Entrepreneurial Resources for Starting a Business in Shoreline, Washington
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Shoreline.
- Resources for Shoreline, Washington Entrepreneurs - Browse a variety of resources we've collected to assist Shoreline entrepreneurs.
- Washington Entrepreneurial Resources - We've gathered state-level entrepreneurial resources to help new entrepreneurs who are based in Washington.
- Washington Small Business Development Center - Washington Small Business Development Centers promote economic vitality by providing advice, training and research to Washington entrepreneurs and existing Washington businesses.
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