Could you write a step-by-step guide to starting a new business in Houston?

1. 74

   Hauntyposted 14 years ago

   Could you write a step-by-step guide to starting a new business in Houston?

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2. 59

   kmcarlisleposted 14 years ago

   Yes, I could write a step-by-step gude to starting a new business in Houston, or anywhere else in Texas for that matter.  There are certain exact models of businesses in the State.  An entrepreneur would have to first decide which business model to follow. For example, one would have to decide whether the business is going to be a Sole Proprietorship, a Partnership with another person, a Limited Liability Corporation (LLC), or to actually become Incorporated in the State of Texas by the Secretary of State.   
   
   Once that decision is made, there are business operations and management techniques which must be followed with regard to adhering to the Internal Revenue Service codes for business owners, the Social Security Administration, and even perhaps getting licensed and insured to do business in Texas in order to sell a service and/or product.
   
   You get the picture... there are a lot of decisions an entrepreneur or small business owner must make before "setting up shop" at a physical location or strictly on the Internet.  Each business in any given specific industry is going to be unique in certain ways, but very similar in others. Having worked for businesses from an international paint company to a corporate interior design firm, and even a computer networking company, I was a one-girl office for these companies.  I did everything from making the coffee in the mornings to signing my own payroll checks; preparing monthly, quarterly, and annual corporate financial statements; and filing the necessary tax returns for the IRS, Social Security, Sales and Use Taxes, etc.
   Although each company was very different in what they were sellling as product and/or service, the same operations and mangement systems had to be followed to become successful and profitable.
   
   If you have any questions or comments for me, please speak up!  I'd love to hear what you have to say, or assist you in any other way possible.
   
   Thank you for the opportunity to speak about on this subject.
   
   Best regards,
   
   Karen M. Carlisle

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3. 60

   Cyrellysposted 14 years ago

   Yes, but like kmcarlisle said every business will be to a certain extent unique.  It would be important to know what type of business or what industry it would be for, its product or service, and how simple or complicated you want or need its structuring to be.  It would almost take a book to cover all the bases that could be possible for the many different kinds of businesses that could be started.

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